the twinkling of stars or radio sources, caused by rapid changes in the density of the earth's atmosphere, the interplanetary medium, or the interstellar medium, producing uneven refraction of starlight
4. physics
a flash of light produced when a material scintillates
scintillation in American English
(ˌsɪntəlˈeɪʃən)
noun
1.
the act of scintillating; sparkling
2.
a spark; flash
3.
a brilliant display of wit
4. Astronomy
the twinkling of the stars caused by density changes in the atmosphere
5. Nuclear Physics
the flash of light made by ionizing radiation upon striking a crystal detector or a phosphor