The Sun is a star
The Sun is the brightest thing in the sky. Why does no other star look like it?
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Step 1 of 4
- A star, far away: a tiny point.
- Move the same star closer.
- Close: it is a huge, steady disc.
- Same star. Only the distance changed.
The rule
The Sun is a star, but it is much closer to us. That is why it looks different.
The Sun makes light the way other stars do.
How bright a star looks depends on its size and its distance. A near star can look brighter than a bigger star far away.
Why this matters
Why does near look brighter and bigger? Hold a lamp close. It is bright and big. Hold the same lamp far away. It looks faint and small.