Why Is The Sun A Star But Not A Planet?

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16 Answers

Eleanor jones Profile
Eleanor jones answered
Put simply it contains the material of a star and not of a planet.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
The sun is not a planet but a star because:of its mass and the energy it produces,its mass falls under the category of of star mass.
Ellie Hoe Profile
Ellie Hoe answered
We can enumerate as many as the following reasons in order to explain why Sun is a Star and not a planet.

1) The Sun is primarily composed of Hydrogen and Helium atoms which undergo a fusion reaction under enormous heat and split to the extreme pressures caused by the Star's gravity and thus generate heat of their own.

2) Lying at the Center of our Solar system the Sun is the most massive entity which causes all the planets to revolve around it in stable orbits.

3) There is no Solid core in the Sun unlike Earth and other Gas Giants (yes even the gas giants have Solid cores).

4) Planets are dependent on the Sun for the heat and radiation energy that they receive while the light of the Sun is it's own and it is the very Engine which keeps the cycle of life and seasonal variations in our planet.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
I'm not sure of the accepted scientific criteria for one or the other but if I had to make a guess, this would be it:     Its probably down to the process going on within the star. Stars exsist by performing a process called nuclear fission, or nuclear fussion, i.e - they change elements into other elements, e.g hydrogen to helium. This process is what causes our own sun to let out its energy.     Planets on the other hand, do not perform these processes.
thanked the writer.
John
John commented
....nucleeur it's spelled nucleeur(homer simpson talking to lisa) : )
Oddman Profile
Oddman answered
A planet is defined in terms of its mass relative to that which is necessary to support nuclear fusion. The sun supports nuclear fusion, so it is not a planet.
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Because the sun is a star not a planet xx
John Profile
John answered
If I had to guess or make a assumption /theory   I would say because it is a gaseous ball of fire and not a solid mass or on the same plane as a planet so that life could live on it except in a science fiction movie.....and it supports life in another way that a planet can not by giving us what we need to live light/heat/and believe it or not nutrient/vitamin and is the only reason this planet is like it is now without the sun we would not be in the perfect orbit to sustain life as we know it...that is if I had to make a guess...
thanked the writer.
Anonymous
Anonymous commented
I know you were just guessing, but Jupiter is not a solid mass either, yet it is a planet. Also as far as we know the vast majority of stars exist without giving light, heat etc for life.
John
John commented
Ah! But you do not know for a fact (only in theory) because any star that is in eyesight of this planet does not support life as we know it......being in the perfect position to support maintain life on a planet in it's orbit.. And by solid mass i mean the planet has a mantle/crust....and since we have never actually excavated the surface of jupiter no one knows what it is really like do we? Besides the definition of a star and planet could change at any time with the science community we have now can't it? As from the pluto decision.....
ali imran baig Profile
ali imran baig answered
According to definition of stars, they have their own light. Similarly Sun has its own light making it a star.
kristina coonrad Profile
The sun is to bright to be a planet and  no one can go on it sense it is to hot to be on ! Its like on a hot summer day on concrete with no shoes on!
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Shh don't tell any1 it is a planet ahh.. Keeep this low or the world will go mad but it does blow up thats why the things that live there move to a different 1 :)
Anonymous Profile
Anonymous answered
Honestly, all the bodies of energy in our view in space need to be studied more before we label them this or that.

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