“Starlight, Star bright,
The first star I see tonight;
I wish I may, I wish I might,
Have the wish I wish tonight.”
Starlight, Star Bright is a popular nursery rhyme that your parents taught when you were still a child. There is a superstitious belief that your wish will come true when you see a falling star. As adults, when we look up to the sky, we see billions shining brightly at us, and somehow it makes us feel better. When you watch the stars, you see the beauty of the moment. It gives you a sense of peace and makes the world around us seem a happy place.
What Is A Star?
At night, there are millions of tiny sparkling lights in the sky. It is a fact that some are stars and some others are planets which is difficult the tell from afar.
Star is a vast celestial body made up of hydrogen and helium. It produces light and heat. Some stars are brighter than others.
The star’s brightness is a factor of how much energy they give out, known as luminosity, and how far the stars are from the earth. Colors may vary from Star to Star, depending on their temperature. The white and blue stars are the hot stars, while the orange and red stars are cooler.
The stars, like people, have a life span. As helium sinks to the star’s core and raises the star’s temperature, it causes the expansion of the outer shell.
These stars are now called giants. The life span of the stars will depend on how massive the star is. Just like us humans, our life depends on our fate.
In ancient times, people looked at the skies to identify the different configurations of the stars – constellations. People track their movements because they believe that by looking at the stars, they could tell the seasons of farming and the courses of the sea. There are many myths about the stars, and when you compare their findings to the astronomers today, it is not that different.
Astronomers use constellations for navigational tools. An example is the southern cross constellation is used as a point of orientation by the astronomers. On the other hand, the north star is used for direction.
It does not matter how you see the star. What is important is how you look at it from your perspective.
What Is A planet?
A planet is from the Greek word planetes which means wanderers or as simple as moving. Planets are celestial bodies that are smaller than the stars. Planets have no light. It gets its glow from the sun.
Centuries ago, the earth was not considered a planet. They thought it was a central object around, scan through the pages of solar geoengineering novel, which all other celestial objects orbit. All they know is that the sun is the center of the universe, and the earth is revolving in it.
Presently, astronomers view the planets as celestial bodies. Planets orbit around the sun. Planets have a sufficient mass to assume hydrostatic equilibrium and have maintained a constant orbit.
Astronomers also called the earth the dwarf planet that orbits around the sun. It is not a satellite. Astronomers say that other objects orbiting around the sun are referred to as small solar system bodies.
Planets in the solar system have specific colors. Mercury has a gray and brown color. In comparison, Venus has a pale yellow color. Mars color would vary between pale pink and bright red. The colors depend on the brightness of the light reflected on them.
On the other hand, Jupiter’s color is orange with white bands. Saturn is consistent with pale gold color. Uranus and Neptune are pale blue; however, they are not visible to the naked eye.
Mercury, Venus, and Mars are the most accessible planets to spot in the night sky. They can even be seen on a clear night sky with the naked eye.
The Silimilaries Between A Star From A Planet.
The stars and planets are spherical, composed mostly of gases instead of rock. They are both have masses. Planets and stars orbit around other stars called a multi-star system.
The Differences Between A Star From A Planet.
Stars are composed merely of gas. The sky has billion of stars than planets. Stars make their light, so that is why stars twinkle. Planets are called mass giants. The turbulence in the earth’s atmosphere interferes with the light from the star.
The stars and the planets are important because they play a vital role in helping humans find their route to navigate the earth. During the nighttime, the sky lights up, giving light to people. Since we live on one of the planets called earth, the star helps us, humans, not be exposed to the cosmic radiation that falls from the atmosphere making the earth a good place to live. Therefore, there is no star; there is no life on earth.
The Happy Hammock 