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 …

(We still love you, Pluto!) An overview of the history, mythology and current scientific knowledge of the planets, moons and other objects in our solar system.

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. …

The ongoing debate over planet classification persists amidst our expanding knowledge of the universe, which includes the discovery of numerous exoplanets, potentially including habitable ones within the …

May 21, 2024 · Scientists believe planets begin to form when a dense cloud of dust and gas, called a nebula, spins around a newly formed star. Gradually, gravity causes the bits of matter in the nebula …

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.

“Planet” is a word used by the ancient Greeks to describe stars, visible to the naked eye, that moved in relation to the fixed, background stars. The word "planet" comes from the Greek word "planetes," …

There are eight planets. In order of distance from the Sun, they are: Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn are visible with the naked eye, and have been known throughout human history.

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 …