I can't change the Hebrew grammar. There is only one verb in that verse and the phrase "and the stars" has a direct object marker making it a direct object of the verb.
אֵת I †10898.55.†866.33 object–marker—אֵת, אֶת־ (אֶת [Ps 475 602 Pr 312] אֵת־ [Jb 4126 Est 931(L)]; in Bar–Kochba letters, etc. normal form is ת, for both אֵת and –אֶת־הַ, usu. prefixed to object); with sf. אוֹתִי (אֹתִי), אוֹתְךָ (אֹתְךָ, אֹתְכָה [Nm 2233] אוֹתָ֑ךְ, אֹתָ֑ךְ, אֹתָ֑כָה [Ex 2935]), אוֹתָךְ (אֹתָךְ), אוֹתוֹ (אֹתוֹ; I אתה), אוֹתָהּ (אֹתָהּ), אוֹתָ֫נוּ (אֹתָ֫נוּ), אֶתְכֶם (fem. Am 42 Zc 119 Ca 27 35 58 84, אוֹתְכֶם [Jos 2315], Q אתכמה), אוֹתָם (oft. fem., אֹתָם, אוֹתְהֶם [fem. Ezk 2345], אֶתְהֶם [fem. Ezk 3412 1 C 650], Q אותמה), אֹתָן (Ezk 1654), אוֹתָ֫נָה (Ezk 3421), אֹתָ֫נָה (Ex 3526), אוֹתְהֶן (Ezk 2347), אֶתְהֶן (Lv 2014).
1. with determined direct object. a. with definite article, בָּרָא אֱלֹהִים אֵת הַשָּׁמַיִם וְאֵת הָאָרֶץ God created the heavens and the earth Gn 11, ביום עזבו את הארץ on the day of his leaving the land 4Q386–9 412, sim. Gn 1: 4.7.16.16.16 etc.
The Dictionary of Classical Hebrew (Vol. 1, p. 439) confirms what I am saying and even cite Gen. 1:16 as an example of a determined direct object with definite article.