History

How many planets were known to ancient astronomers?

5 planets

Background

Even before the telescope, people could see five planets with the naked eye. These were Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. The word planet comes from Greek and means wanderer. Uranus and Neptune were only found later with the help of telescopes.

More History questions

In which country was the first known zoo opened?

See question

In what year did the Gutenberg printing press debut?

See question

How many soldiers died in the Battle of Gettysburg?

See question

How many U.S. presidents have been assassinated?

See question

How many years did the Viking Age roughly last?

See question

How tall is the Great Pyramid of Giza?

See question

Ready to estimate?

Over 1,200 questions, 9 categories, one click.