The word planet comes from the Greek πλανήται (planḗtai) 'wanderers'. In antiquity, this word referred to the Sun, Moon, and five points of light visible to the naked eye that moved across the background of …

May 28, 2025 · A more modern definition can be found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary which defines a planet as "any of the large bodies that revolve around the Sun in the solar system."

Nov 20, 2025 · Planet, broadly, any relatively large natural body that revolves in an orbit around the Sun or around some other star and that is not radiating energy from internal nuclear fusion reactions. …

May 2, 2025 · Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun and the largest planet in the solar system. The gas giant is more than twice as massive as all the other planets combined, according to NASA.

May 21, 2024 · Under the new definition, a planet must be massive enough that gravitational forces have cleared its solar orbit of other objects. Because astronomers have discovered other bodies in …

The English word planet comes from the Greek planēs. Unlike the ancient Greeks, we now know that the planets "wander" across the sky because they are revolving around the sun.

Dec 19, 2025 · An unusual object orbiting a rapidly spinning star might be a new phenomenon in the universe.

Mar 12, 2025 · What is a Planet? The word goes back to the ancient Greek word planēt, and it means "wanderer." A more modern definition can be found in the Merriam-Webster dictionary which defines …

3 days ago · There are eight planets in the solar system. The four inner terrestrial planets are Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars, all of which consist mainly of rock. The four outer planets are Jupiter, …

Earth is the third planet from the Sun and the only astronomical object known to harbor life. This is made possible by Earth being an ocean world, the only one in the Solar System sustaining liquid surface …