> whereas stars, if they twinkle at all, tend to have very brief
> lessenings of brightness, along the lines of
> brightness = min(128, 255-random(128))  (where 128 is max
> brightness)

I've been using these as RNGs (by seeding timers with intervals)

http://home.clear.net.nz/pages/joecolquitt/white_noise.html

Data generated from the one on the left is used in a game of chance
and passes government requirements for randomness (NB Schottky
is now BAT46, +/- supply is from a MAX232 in the circuit)

In a starfield, attention is not likely to be on just one star, unless you
really really don't have a life, and something less than truly random
would do. A cinema in town has a starfield in the roof with what must
be a simple system and pattern of ons/offs - it's not as convincing as
in/out fades would be


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