Shader for a Star Surface not working right

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Godot Version

v4.3.stable.official [77dcf97d8]

I am trying to make a shader that sits on top of a star texture to give it a bit of motion to make the star look more alive. All I get with this shader is a bunch of black squares all over the star that over 30 seconds± get thinner until they disappear. Below is the section of code that I add the shader and the shader code itself. All you shader experts out there, what am I doing wrong? The star is rotating with planets rotating around it if that helps. I could post a video link if there is a need.

************ code creating the star mesh

func create_star():
var star_data = fetch_star_data()[0]
star = MeshInstance3D.new()
var sphere_mesh = SphereMesh.new()
var star_size = star_data[“size”] * 0.75
sphere_mesh.radius = star_size
sphere_mesh.height = star_size * 2
star.mesh = sphere_mesh

var shader_material = ShaderMaterial.new()
shader_material.shader = load("res://Assets/Shader/star_shader.gdshader")
shader_material.set_shader_parameter("texture_albedo", star_data["texture"])
shader_material.set_shader_parameter("glow_intensity", 1.5)
shader_material.set_shader_parameter("flicker_speed", 0.5)
shader_material.set_shader_parameter("flicker_intensity", 0.1)

star.material_override = shader_material
add_child(star)
star.global_transform.origin = Vector3(-50, 0, 0)

************ Shader

shader_type spatial;
render_mode unshaded;

uniform sampler2D texture_albedo : source_color;
uniform float glow_intensity : hint_range(0, 5) = 1.5;
uniform float flicker_speed : hint_range(0, 10) = 0.5;
uniform float flicker_intensity : hint_range(0, 1) = 0.1;

void fragment() {
vec2 uv = UV;
vec4 albedo_tex = texture(texture_albedo, uv);

float time = TIME * flicker_speed;
float flicker = sin(time) * 0.5 + 0.5;
flicker = mix(1.0, flicker, flicker_intensity);

vec3 glow = albedo_tex.rgb * glow_intensity * flicker;

ALBEDO = albedo_tex.rgb;
EMISSION = glow;
ALPHA = albedo_tex.a;

}