THE EARTH IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
After sunset, as darkness falls, the sky gradually reveals numerous bright dots. These are stars, planets, and other celestial bodies. Their appearance can be likened to diamonds studded against a dark canvas, illuminating the vast expanse of the night.
Most stars appear to twinkle. This twinkling is due to the Earth’s atmosphere causing the light from stars to bend and scatter. However, some bright objects in the sky don’t twinkle — these are usually planets. Planets, being closer to us than distant stars, appear as discs, and their light isn’t affected by our atmosphere in the same way as the point-like light from distant stars.
The moon, Earth’s only natural satellite, goes through various phases from a full moon (Poornima) to a new moon (Amavasya) and back, in roughly a month. Depending on its phase and position relative to the Earth and the sun, the moon can appear at different times and in different shapes.
During the day, the sun’s brightness dominates, making it nearly impossible to see other “celestial bodies” against the blue sky. Once the sun sets, the darkness of the night provides a backdrop against which we can observe the stars and other bodies.