Is the sun a planet or a star?

Answer

Hello Niels,

First, let’s take a look at what a planet is and what a star is:
A planet must be in orbit around the sun, must be nearly round by its own gravity, and must have the vicinity of its orbit cleared of other objects.

A star is a ball of gas within which nuclear reactions take place, causing light to be emitted.

So the sun is actually an ‘ordinary’ star and not a planet. Moreover, the sun is the closest star to our earth and is therefore very bright.

Even though the answer is simple, your question is not that stupid. Long ago, people thought that the sun was a planet. This was at the time when people thought that the sun revolved around the earth and not the other way around.