Star

Star

A star is a massive, luminous sphere of plasma held together by gravity. The nearest star to Earth is the Sun, which is the source of most of the energy on the planet. Other stars are visible from Earth during the night when they are not obscured by atmospheric phenomena, appearing as a multitude of fixed luminous points because of their immense distance. Historically, the most prominent stars on the celestial sphere were grouped together into constellations and asterisms, and the brightest stars gained proper names. Extensive catalogues of stars have been assembled by astronomers, which provide standardized star designations.

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Famous quotes containing the word star:

    I put the gold star up in the front window
    beside the flag. Alterations is what I know
    and what I did: hems, gussets and seams.
    Anne Sexton (1928–1974)

    The Star that bids the Shepherd fold,
    Now the top of Heav’n doth hold,
    And the gilded Car of Day,
    His glowing Axle doth allay
    In the steep Atlantick stream,
    John Milton (1608–1674)

    The eager fate which carried thee
    Took the largest part of me:
    For this losing is true dying;
    This is lordly man’s down-lying,
    This his slow but sure reclining,
    Star by star his world resigning.
    Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)