CoachA star is a gigantic ball of glowing-hot stuff that makes its own light — a true light source. The Sun is a star: our star, close enough to warm our faces. (The night’s other stars get a chapter of their own next year.)
Examples
Example 26.8 (The wanderers in our sky)
Venus is often the first “star” of the evening, blazing in the west after sunset — so bright because it is our nearest neighbor, wrapped in white clouds that send sunlight back generously. Mars glows faintly orange; Jupiter and Saturn shine steady and bright. Watch one of them for a few weeks against the fixed stars: it drifts — the very wandering that gave planets their ancient name.