Q&A for How to Tell the Difference Between Planets and Stars

The planets are much closer to Earth than stars, so they are brighter. Stars can be billions or trillions of times farther away.

Sometimes planets are often seen much brighter than stars. The easiest way to discern one from the other is planets don't 'twinkle,' while stars do.

You can see it during the morning, and look for a very bright white non-twinkling object at night.

Neither. It is a natural satellite, or an astronomical body that orbits a planet. Many planets have moons. In terms of its physical composition, it is like a planet, not like a star. But it doesn't fit the usual criteria for a planet, mainly because it orbits a planet rather than a star.

Neptune is not visible with the naked eye. You will need a telescope to see this planet. Consult a planetary guide to find its location in the night sky.

Comets are neither planets nor stars. They are blocks of ice traveling in space.

Yes, stars do appear to move around in our night sky. However, unlike planets, they do not move in a straight line. Instead, they appear to rotate (very slowly) around Polaris, the North Star. That appearance is mainly caused by the Earth's rotation around its own axis.

Shooting stars are easiest seen during meteor showers, the dates of which can be looked up online. Be sure to go to a dark place and be prepared to wait a while!

I don't think there are any organizations you can contact to identify any planets in our solar system, although there are internet resources that you can use, such as Stellarium.

Look at the sky, using your eyes. It is really not that hard. You can see most planets without a telescope. Look for a map of the planets in the night sky online.

Invest time in sky watching and you'll see that planets move slower than satellites.

It's the rotation of the Earth that make them seem like they are all moving.

Even if you're outside our atmosphere, the planets will usually appear brighter than the stars due to their relative proximity to us (and to the sun).

In either hemisphere, Venus can often (but not always) be seen near the horizon just before sunrise or just after sunset. Look at the horizon near where the Sun is about to rise or has just set.