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. 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.






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






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






4. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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






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






7. 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






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






9. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






10. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons


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






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






13. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






15. A faint star of enormous density






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






17. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






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






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






20. A space telescope and camera named for a famous astronaut (Edward Hubble) used to study space elements






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






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






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






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






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






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






27. A faint star of enormous density






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






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






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






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






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






33. 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






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






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






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






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






38. 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






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


40. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






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






43. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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






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


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






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






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






49. A region of the solar system that is just beyond the orbit of neptune and that contains small bodies made mostly of ice






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