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What’s the difference between planets and stars?
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Open cluster NGC 290
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Open cluster NGC 290
Open cluster NGC 290 Stars in the open cluster NGC 290, as seen by the Hubble Space Telescope.

What’s the difference between planets and stars?

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Stars burn bright and hot due to nuclear fusion reactions occurring in their cores. This process involves the fusion of hydrogen atoms into helium, releasing a tremendous amount of energy in the form of light and heat. In contrast, planets reflect the light of their star rather than producing their own. They lack the mass and temperature required to initiate nuclear fusion, which is why they do not glow with their own light.

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