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 spinning of Earth on its axis






2. 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






3. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






10. Massive clouds of dust and gases where stars are born






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






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






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






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






15. 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.






16. A large cloud of dust and gas that can break apart into smaller pieces and form stars






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






18. Any of the small solid extraterrestrial bodies that hits the earth's atmosphere






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






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






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






22. 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






23. The spinning of Earth on its axis






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






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






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






27. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons

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






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






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






31. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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






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






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






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

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36. Astronomical telescope that picks up electromagnetic radiations in the radio-frequency range from extra-terrestrial sources






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






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






39. A faint star of enormous density






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






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






42. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






43. Any natural satellite of a planet






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

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






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






47. 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






48. A large cloud of dust and gas that can break apart into smaller pieces and form stars






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






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