Difference Between a Planet and a Star

Learn about the difference between a planet and a star

Sun and Earth comparison. Image provided by https://starwalk.space/en/news/difference-between-stars-and-planets

Planets and stars are celestial objects with distinct characteristics, roles, and behaviors. Stars, one of which we all rely on, involves the sun. They produce their own light and heat through nuclear fusion. Planets, such as Earth, are smaller bodies that orbit stars and do not generate their own light and heat. 

One of the major separation of the two is the formation process. Stars form from collapsing clouds or gas and dust, igniting nuclear fusion during the process. On the other hand, planets form from the leftover material in a star’s surrounding disk. These materials combine with each other, eventually forming the shape that we all know: a sphere. 

Composition and energy can also affect the difference. Stars are mostly made out of helium and hydrogen, radiating immense energy, eventually making them luminous. Meanwhile, planets can be rocky, like Earth, or gaseous, like Jupiter, lacking the ability to emit heat independently. The planet’s temperature differs based on the distance of the star in their system. 

Another key difference is size and mass. Stars are significantly larger than planets, with diameters and masses often hundreds of times greater. For example, the sun’s diameter is about 109 times that of Earth, and its mass is over 300,000 times greater.

In conclusion, stars are powerful energy sources that act as the center of solar systems, while planets are smaller sources that orbit stars. Their roles show dynamic systems that are fundamental for the structures of the universe.