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 graph relating the temperature and brightness of stars






2. The spinning of Earth on its axis






3. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






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






5. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






6. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






7. A faint star of enormous density






8. 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






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






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






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


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






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






14. 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.






15. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






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






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






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






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






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






22. 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






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






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






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






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 faint star of enormous density






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






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






30. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






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






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






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






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






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






37. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons


38. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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