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






2. Point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






13. A particle of electromagnetic radiation having zero mass and carrying a quantum of energy






14. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






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






17. A galaxy with a bulge in the middle and arms that spiral outward in a pinwheel pattern






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






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






20. 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.






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






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






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






24. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons


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






26. 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






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






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






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






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






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






32. Point of moon's orbit when it is nearest the earth






33. 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






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






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






36. A graph relating the temperature and brightness of stars






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






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






39. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






40. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






41. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






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






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






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






45. 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.






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






47. 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






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






49. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






50. A galaxy with a bulge in the middle and arms that spiral outward in a pinwheel pattern