Twinkling Star?

Question:
I live in Austin, Tx. I see from my balcony looking West a very bright star that appears to be more energetic than merely twinkling. With binoculars it appears to be sending bursts of matter out in all directions and many of these bursts are colorful, especially red. I have never seen a star be so energetic in my 77 years.
Richard
rhartgrove@gmail.com
Answer:
There are many atmospheric phenomena that produce “twinkling” behaviour in astronomical and human-made objects. From Austin Texas this time of year, about two hours after sunset, the bright star Arcturus is setting in the west. You might be seeing Arcturus viewed through a moving atmosphere, which results in the “twinkling” you see. You can find similar explanations for these kinds of phenomena elsewhere in this blog’s archives.