ELi5 what makes the sun a star and not a planet? And why is the moon not considered a planet?

Question

ELi5 what makes the sun a star and not a planet? And why is the moon not considered a planet?

In: 0

Answer 1

Planets orbit around stars. Moons orbit around planets.

The ancient greeks knew that there are different lights on the night sky and observed them. Those that didn’t move in relation to the other lights were called „aster“ or „star“ in english. What exactly it ment for the ancient greeks, I am not certain. However, those that DID move were called „planētēs“ or „planets“ in english. And that word means „wanderer“.

Now, the greeks didn’t know that they weren’t the same things but moving. But we, today, do.