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






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






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






4. 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






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






6. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






7. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons

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






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






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






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






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

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13. The average distance between the Earth and the sun - or approximately 150000000 km






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






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






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

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






18. Any natural satellite of a planet






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






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






23. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






25. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






27. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






36. 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






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






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






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






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






41. The study of the universe






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






43. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. 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