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. A galaxy shaped like a flattened ball - containing only old stars






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






3. The spinning of Earth on its axis






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






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






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






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






8. 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.






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






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






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






12. Any natural satellite of a planet






13. 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






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






15. A variable star that brightens and dims regularly - or pulses - and whose distance can be determined from its period of pulsation






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






17. English mathematician and physicist - discovered the law of universal gravitation






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






19. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






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






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






22. The study of the universe






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






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






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






26. 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.






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






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






29. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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






31. The spectrum of electromagnetic radiation that has passed through a medium that absorbed radiation of certain wavelengths






32. A galaxy shaped like a flattened ball - containing only old stars






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






34. The farther away a galaxy is - the faster it is moving away

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






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






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






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






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






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






41. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






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






44. Planet with a solid - rocky crust; more dense; Inner planet. Mercury - Venus - Earth - Mars






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

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46. An elongated circle - or oval shape - the shape of the planets orbit






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






48. 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






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






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