Stars and the Solar System
- Stars are “Close”: Thinking stars are just outside our Solar System, rather than
light-years away. - The North Star is the brightest: A common myth; it is actually quite dim
(Polaris is the 48th brightest star). - Shooting Stars are actual Stars: Not realizing they are tiny grains of dust
(meteors) burning up in our atmosphere. - The Solar System is “Crowded”: Based on textbook diagrams, students think
planets are very close together (ignoring the vast scale of empty space).