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 study of the universe






2. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






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






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






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






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






7. 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






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






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






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






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






12. An enormously bright - distant galaxy with a giant black hole at its center






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






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






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






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






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






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






19. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






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. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






22. The formation of a celestial object by the effect of gravity pulling together surrounding objects and gases






23. 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






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






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






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






27. 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






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






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






30. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons

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






32. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






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






35. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






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






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






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






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






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






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






42. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






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

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

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






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






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






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






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






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