How does a planet differ from a star?

A star refers to a body that possesses a light that causes it to reflect the light independently and a planet, on the other hand, is a fixed celestial body that has its own orbit and spins on its own axis, yet also reflects the light from an, so external source. In the solar system, a very large round object in the universe orbiting the Sun or another star. A planet is a stationary celestial body in its own orbit, rotating around its own axis, but reflecting light from an external light source. Since the planet has no internal light source, the planet receives only light from the external light source, mainly the sun. 

Difference between Planet and Star

What is a Planet?

The latest definition of a planet was adopted by the International Astronomical Union in 2006. It states that the planet has to do three things:  

•  It must orbit the star (the neighborhood of our universe, the sun). 
•  It must be large enough to have enough gravity to force it into a sphere.  
• It must be large enough for its gravity to wipe out all other similarly sized objects near the orbit around the Sun.

There is a total of eight planets in our solar system which are : 

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

What is a Star?

A large sphere of burning gas in the universe can be seen as a small spot of light in the night sky. A star is a body that has a light that reflects light independently. Stars begin their life cycle as clouds of gas and dust called nebulae and evolve into increasingly hot and dense protostars through gravity and accretion.

Star radiates energy, in particular, light and infrared radiation, that usually originates from an internal thermonuclear reaction and, in some cases, is emitted as ultraviolet, radio, or X-rays. The surface temperature can range from approximately 2100 to 40,000° C.

There is no proper count for stars. Astronomers estimate that the Milky Way alone has about 100 billion stars.

Difference between Planet and Star

Planet	Star
1. Planets rotate on their own axis and also revolve around stars, mainly around the sun.	1. Stars rotate on their own axis.
2. Planets have low temperatures as compared to the stars.	2. Stars have very high temperatures and thus stars are scorching.
3. Planets do not have an internal light source which is why they have to receive light from external sources.	3. A star is a body that reflects light independently.
4.  Planets are made up of solids, liquids, and gases.	4.Stars consist of hydrogen, helium, and other light elements.
5. Planets are smaller than stars.	5. Stars have a huge size as compared to planets.
6. Planets do not have a twinkling effect.	6. Stars show the effect of twinkling.
7.  Planets generally have a spheroid shape.	7. Since stars are not solid therefore they can be of any shape.
8. Planets have low speed as compared to stars.	8. Stars have a higher speed as compared to planets.
9. There is a total of 8 planets in our solar system.	9. There is only one star in our solar system which is Sun.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q 1. How does a planet differ from a star?

Answer-

A planet’s orbits spin on its own axis and come to change its position constantly. Stars on the other hand consist of matters like hydrogen, helium, and other gases.

Q 2. How does a planet differ from a star?

Answer-

Planets differ from a star as they do not have their own heat and light. They are lit by the light of stars.

Q 3. What are the different types of stars?

Answer-

Different types of stars include:

1. Sun-like star
2. Twin star
3. Super Nova
4. Red Giant