* Our Solar System: Planets like Mars, Venus, and Jupiter are all within our solar system. They orbit our Sun, making them relatively close to Earth in cosmic terms.
* Stars are Distant: Stars are massive balls of hot gas that generate their own light. The closest star to our Sun is Proxima Centauri, which is about 4.24 light-years away. A light-year is the distance light travels in a year, which is a truly enormous distance.
Think of it this way:
Imagine our solar system as a small neighborhood. The planets are like houses in that neighborhood, while stars are like other cities or towns far, far away.
