Test your basic knowledge |

Astronomy Basics

Subject : science
Instructions:
  • Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
  • If you are not ready to take this test, you can study here.
  • Match each statement with the correct term.
  • Don't refresh. All questions and answers are randomly picked and ordered every time you load a test.

This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.
1. Remnant of a star that is so dense that nothing - not even light - can escape its gravity field






2. The luminous cloud of particles surrounding the frozen nucleus of a comet






3. A system of galaxies containing from several to thousands of member galaxies






4. The blocking of sunlight to the moon that occurs when Earth is directly between the sun and the moon






5. The distance between crests of waves - such as those of the electromagnetic spectrum






6. A measure of the amount of light that a star actually emits






7. The most distant point in the orbit of the moon






8. The increase in wavelength of light due to an object moving away from the observer






9. The study of the universe






10. Polish astronomer who produced a workable model of the solar system with the sun in the center (1473-1543)






11. A very small star with low temperature - reddish in color






12. Spectrum of electromagnetic radiation emitted by a self-luminous source






13. The apparent change in position of an object when seen from different places






14. The name of our galaxy - a spiral galaxy that contains about 400 billion stars






15. Space object made of dust and rock particles mixed with frozen water - methane - and ammonia that forms a bright coma as it approaches the Sun






16. The apparent change in position of an object when seen from different places






17. A telescope that uses a curved mirror to collect and focus light






18. Large group of stars - dust - and gas held together by gravity; can be elliptical - spiral - or irregular






19. Any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that hits the earth's atmosphere






20. Planets with low densities and are huge gas giants. Jupiter - Saturn - Uranus - Neptune






21. A contracting cloud of gas and dust with enough mass to form a star






22. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






23. The study of the universe






24. The elliptical motion of a body as it orbits another body in space






25. The theory that the universe originated 20 billion years ago from the cataclysmic explosion of a small mass of matter at extremely high density and temperature






26. The blocking of sunlight to the moon that occurs when Earth is directly between the sun and the moon






27. Any substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances






28. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






29. A large cloud of dust and gas that can break apart into smaller pieces and form stars






30. When the moon passes between earth and the sun - blocking the sunlight from reaching earth






31. Stony or metallic object that is the remains of a meteoroid that has reached the earth's surface






32. The elliptical motion of a body as it orbits another body in space






33. Massive clouds of dust and gases where stars are born






34. A group of stars that form a pattern in the sky






35. The place in the orbit of a planet where the planet is farthest from the sun






36. Optical telescope that has a large convex lens that produces an image that is viewed through the eyepiece






37. An enormously bright - distant galaxy with a giant black hole at its center






38. One of the small asteroid-like bodies that formed the building blocks of the planets






39. A measure of the amount of light that a star actually emits






40. Change in the apparent frequency of a wave as observer and source move toward or away from each other






41. Varying amounts of the lighted moon as seen from earth






42. Change in the apparent frequency of a wave as observer and source move toward or away from each other






43. Varying amounts of the lighted moon as seen from earth






44. A shift toward the red end of the spectrum in the observed spectral lines of stars or galaxies showing objects are moving away and that the universe is expanding






45. A star that expands and cools once it runs out of hydrogen fuel






46. A model of the universe based on the assumption that the sun - moon - and planets all orbit Earth






47. The decrease in wavelength of light due to an object moving away from the oberver






48. Optical telescope that has a large convex lens that produces an image that is viewed through the eyepiece






49. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






50. Space object made of dust and rock particles mixed with frozen water - methane - and ammonia that forms a bright coma as it approaches the Sun