Ancient astronomers can tell the difference the same way you can tell now - the planets move, while the stars stay in the same patterns. The word "planet" comes from the Greek word for "wanderer". The 'planets' were the lights in the sky that moved. Originally the Greeks included the Sun and Moon as planets, because they were light's that moved through the sky. Also, the closer and bigger planets, Jupiter, Mars & Venus are also MUCH brighter than stars. The smaller planets and the ones that are far, far away (Mercury & Saturn) are also bright - but not much brighter than the brightest stars in the sky. They also all travel in the same narrow path in the sky - the ecliptic. It's the same path the sun & moon follow in the sky through the months & year. These 7 lights were visible in the sky without telescopes - Sun, Moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus & Saturn - which is how we got our 7 days of the week.
The planets move in their own trajectory which is different than the stars in the background. All the stars appear to circle the North star.
Plants are normal and stars are like comets
1) Although planets can be composed primarily of rock or gas, only stars are objects made of gas that are massive enough to support a nuclear fusion reaction. 2) Although planets and stars can orbit stars (as in binary systems), stars never orbit planets.
You can find the names of some 260 different stars with planets circling them here: http://exoplanet.eu/
Planets are pieces of material that orbit a star such as the earth orbits the sun. Stars are 'suns' and are distributed throughout the universe. Stars are much larger than planets hence the reason that at night stars can be seen in the sky and planets cant even though the stars are much futher away than the other planets in our solar system.
Planets do not technically need their respective stars, but stars keep planets in orbit and provide heat and light to the planets.
Astronomers measure it by predicting with the stars and using scientific tools
Constellations are stars put together, usually to form a ancient figure in the stars, a galaxy is much different, They have planets and in galaxies you can find constellations. Big difference
Through intense research it has indicated that stars are not only luminous balls of plasma held by gravity, but are also planets from different galaxies. From a distance, they may seem like stars, but are in fact planets. So yes, you are correct, planets are stars from different galaxies.
No. We know what the stars are. They are not planets. They are distant suns, many of which do have undiscovered planets.
stars make their own light and planets get theirs from the sun!!!!!!!!!! hi!!!! :):>
A planets and stars are different things, so a planet can never be a death star.
Yes, its one of the planets that can be seen with the unaided eye, known to ancient people as being different from the fixed stars.
Plants are normal and stars are like comets
A long Time ago
Almost nothing was different, except our understanding of things. The stars have been shining for millions or billions of years; all the planets have been pretty much just where they are for about 4 billion years or more. "Ancient" times in our human history is anything more than 2000 years ago.
A long Time ago
Planets orbit stars, moons orbit planets. That is the only difference.