Why do stars appear different colors in the night sky?

One of the pleasures of stargazing is noticing and enjoying the various colors that stars display in dark skies. Star colors are always interesting to observe, since they add so much to the character of the constellations. These hues offer direct visual evidence of how stellar temperatures vary. A good many of the luminaries of the summer season — such as brilliant Vega , which stands about halfway up in the east-northeast sky as darkness falls — are bluish white. …