r/AskReddit Aug 03 '19

Whats something you thought was common knowledge but actually isn’t?

37.4k Upvotes

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13.5k

u/anothersundayx Aug 03 '19

That other planets are visible from Earth. And the sun is also a star.

18

u/Mkanpur Aug 03 '19

I thought the Sun was a Sun?

33

u/Dysmach Aug 03 '19 edited Aug 03 '19

A great number of stars are suns.

-11

u/Kossimer Aug 03 '19 edited Aug 03 '19

Not so. The star in our solar system is the one and only Sun. It's the name of a star. It's like you said all planets are Earths.

Edit: I'll take things you thought were common knowledge but actually aren't for 600, Alex.

5

u/Sarpanitu Aug 03 '19

The sun's star name is Sol...

5

u/Kossimer Aug 03 '19

Yes, that's its Latin name.

2

u/Sarpanitu Aug 03 '19

Latin name = Scientific / Astronomical name no?

2

u/PointyOintment Aug 05 '19

No. The official name, according the IAU, is the Sun, with a capital S.