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 most distant point in the orbit of the moon






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






12. A spectrum of light in which there are no gaps - so that each region blends directly into the next






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






14. When the northern or southern most point on earth receives the most sun because the earth is tilted toward the sun






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






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






17. 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






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






19. 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






20. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






22. 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






23. A spectrum of light in which there are no gaps - so that each region blends directly into the next






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






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


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






27. A spherical region of comets that surrounds the solar system






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






29. Galaxy with no particular shape - contains new & old stars






30. Italian astronomer - mathematician - and physicist. His telescopes proved the sun is the center of the solar system and that the planets/moon move. He was persecuted for supporting Copernicus' ideas.






31. A spherical region of comets that surrounds the solar system






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






33. An immense cloud of gas (mainly hydrogen) and dust in interstellar space






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


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






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






37. Point in orbit that is closest to the sun - planet moves faster






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






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






40. An immense cloud of gas (mainly hydrogen) and dust in interstellar space






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






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






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






44. A faint star of enormous density






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






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






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






48. 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






49. Any natural satellite of a planet






50. A star that falls into the main sequence category on the H-are diagram