Planet

Planet, any of the nine major celestial bodies that orbit the sun and shine by reflecting its light, or any similar celestial body orbiting a star other than the sun.

Smaller bodies that also orbit the sun and are not satellites of a planet—are called asteroids or planetoids.

See Earth; Jupiter; Mars; Mercury; Neptune; Pluto; Saturn; Uranus; Venus; Solar System.

"Planet," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2001 http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2000 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.