How are stars and planets alike and different? Created for TCSS

Georgia Performance Standards S4E1: Students will compare and contrast the physical attributes of stars, star patterns, and planets. b. Compare the similarities and differences of planets to the stars in appearance, position, and number in the night sky.

STARS A star is a huge ball of hot gases. When seen from the Earth, most stars appear as small points of light because they are very far away.

How many stars are there? On the clearest night, you can see hundreds of stars. The universe holds many, many more stars than you can see from Earth. These stars are too far away to be seen with the unaided eye.

Stars are always present, even during the day. You just cannot see them during the day because the sky is so bright. Each night the stars appear to move across the sky. This is caused by the rotation of the Earth.

Planet A PLANET is a large body or rock or gas in space that moves around a star. A planet DOES NOT produce light of its own. That is why planets almost never twinkle, while stars do twinkle. You can see planets in the night sky because of the Sun’s light reflecting, or bouncing off, of them.

Comparing Planets and Stars - Appearance When viewed through a telescope or binoculars, planets do not appear to be as bright as stars. Planets appear as disks. Stars look like fuzzy, twinkling lights. Both planets and stars look like points of light in the night sky, because they are so far away. Planets are much smaller than stars. Planets reflect sunlight. Stars are made up of hot gases which produce light.

Comparing Planets and Stars - Position Planets appear to change position. Planets are closer to us than stars and the planets are in constant motion as they orbit the sun; therefore, they can be seen in different locations in the night sky in relation to the constellations. Stars appear to remain in a fixed position.  Because stars are so far away, changes in their positions are barely noticeable so constellations appear to remain the same.  

Comparing Planets and Stars - Number Only a few planets can be seen in the night sky. Many stars can be seen in the night sky.