As an expert in astronomy, I can explain why planets and stars may appear similar in the night sky to the unaided eye.

Planets and stars both emit or reflect light, which is why they can be seen from Earth. However, there are some key differences in how they appear:


1. Brightness: Planets are typically brighter than stars because they reflect sunlight, while stars emit their own light. However, the brightness of a planet can vary based on its distance from Earth and the angle at which it's illuminated by the Sun.


2. Twinkling: Stars often appear to twinkle or flicker due to the Earth's atmosphere, which can distort the light from distant objects. Planets, being closer and larger, have a steadier light that doesn't twinkle as much.


3. Color: Planets can sometimes have a distinct color, such as Mars appearing red, while most stars are white or yellow from our perspective.


4. Motion: Over the course of a night, planets will move relative to the stars. This motion is due to the planets orbiting the Sun, which is different from the fixed positions of stars in the night sky.


5. Discernability: With the naked eye, both stars and planets can appear as points of light. It's only with the aid of a telescope that the true nature of planets as solid bodies becomes apparent.

Despite these differences, without the aid of a telescope or a good pair of binoculars, the distinction can be challenging for the average observer. This is because the atmosphere can make both stars and planets appear as mere points of light, and the lack of a visible disc (the circular shape of a planet when magnified) means they can look quite similar.

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The planets are much closer, inside our solar system. Although the planets are much smaller than the stars, planets appear to be about the same size as the stars because they are so close to us. Planets don't produce their own light. They reflect the light of the sun in the same way our moon reflects sunlight.read more >>