
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist!
Name: Rai K.
Status: student
Age: 16
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2001-2002

How were the ancient Greeks able to distinguish the planets from the stars?

The planets move across the sky at different rates. The word planet means "wandering star".

---Nathan A. Unterman

= The moon and planets move against the background of stars. The stars move and return to their ariginal positions in about a year. The planets are much faster. The Greeks actually only saw the five brightest planets, which are closer to the Earth. These planets move quickly due to their proximity to the Earth.

Steve Sample

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