Which object is a large body in space that orbits a star and does not produce light of its own?

• A. Star
• B. Planet
• C. Comet
• D. Meteor

Answer: (B)

Objects that are large and float in space can be flagged by two key traits: they orbit a star and they don’t produce their own light. A planet fits this description perfectly because it orbits a star and shines only by reflecting the star’s light, not by emitting its own. The Sun is a star that lights the solar system, while a planet stays dark on its own, except for the light it reflects. A star, on the other hand, generates its own light through fusion, so it isn’t what this description describes. A comet orbits the star too and can be large, but it’s typically smaller and known for its glowing coma and tail, not as a steady, luminous body like a planet. A meteor isn’t a body that orbits a star at all; it’s a piece of space rock that may enter a planet’s atmosphere and burn up, becoming visible briefly. So the object that best matches “a large body in space that orbits a star and does not produce light of its own” is a planet.