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






2. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






4. Any of numerous small celestial bodies composed of rock and metal that move around the sun (mainly between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter)






5. The spinning of Earth on its axis






6. Light distance travels in one year (9.5 trillion km)






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






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






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






10. A system of two stars that revolve around each other under their mutual gravitation






11. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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






13. The small - dense remains of a high-mass star after a supernova






14. A large body in space that orbits a star and does not produce light of its own






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






16. Light distance travels in one year (9.5 trillion km)






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






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






19. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






20. The apparent westward motion of the planets with respect to the stars






21. Remnant of a star that is so dense that nothing - not even light - can escape its gravity field






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






23. The study of the spectra of stars by analyzing the spectral properties of the light they give off






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






25. A faint star of enormous density






26. Every object in the universe was attracted to every other object w/ a force that is directly proportional to the masses and proportional to distance between them






27. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






28. The study of the universe






29. The two days of the year on which neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun






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






31. The theory that states that gravity will over come the expansion of the universe and bring everything together in an implosion






32. A model of the solar system in which Earth and the other planets revolve around the sun






33. A star that ejects some of its material in the form of a cloud and become more luminous in the process






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






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






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






37. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






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






39. The motion of a spinning body (as a top) in which it wobbles so that the axis of rotation sweeps out a cone






40. The comet discovered in 1705 that repeats itself every 76 years and last appeared in 1986.


41. A group of about 30 galaxies that includes the Milky Way






42. The formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases






43. An extremely bright star of very large diameter and low density






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






45. Influenced by Copernicus; Built observatory and collected data on the locations of stars and planets for over 20 years






46. 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






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






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






49. Brahe's assistant - German astronomer who first discovered the three laws of planetary motion (1571-1630)






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