Are moon and sun planets?

The Sun, the Moon, and Planets: What’s What?

We’ve all looked up at the sky, haven’t we? Watched the sun blaze and the moon glow. For ages, people even thought of them as planets. But hold on – are they really planets? Turns out, according to modern astronomy, the answer is a big, resounding “nope.”

So, What Is a Planet, Anyway?

Things got a whole lot clearer in 2006. That’s when the International Astronomical Union – basically, the folks who make the rules for space – laid down the law. To be a planet, an object needs to tick three boxes:

The Sun: Our Starry Boss, Not a Planet

Okay, so the Sun. It’s the center of our world, right? So, it’s definitely not orbiting anything else! That’s because the Sun is a star – a giant ball of super-hot gas that makes its own light and heat. It’s like a massive nuclear furnace, constantly churning away. Stars are born from huge clouds of gas and dust. Gravity pulls them together, things heat up like crazy, and boom! You’ve got a star shining bright.

The Moon: Earth’s Buddy, Not a Planet

And what about our Moon? It’s round, sure. And it does orbit something. But that something is Earth, not the Sun. That makes it a moon, or a natural satellite, a celestial body that orbits a planet. We’ve found tons of moons in our solar system – like, 891 as of March 25, 2025! They come in all shapes and sizes, some with atmospheres, some without.

A Little History Lesson

Now, it’s worth remembering that what we think of as a planet has changed over time. The ancient Greeks called them “planetes,” which meant “wanderers.” Back then, anything that moved across the sky was a planet, including the Sun and Moon.

But as we learned more about the universe, things shifted. We figured out that Earth goes around the Sun, and that changed everything.

The Bottom Line

So, there you have it. The Sun and Moon are amazing, important parts of our sky. But they’re not planets. The Sun’s a star, the Moon’s a satellite, and understanding the difference helps us get a better handle on how our solar system works. It’s all about knowing what’s what in the grand cosmic scheme of things!