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


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






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






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






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






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






7. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






9. The study of the universe






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






11. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






12. A graph relating the temperature and brightness of stars






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






14. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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






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






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






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






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






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






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


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






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






24. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






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






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






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






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






29. 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.






30. A graph relating the temperature and brightness of stars






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






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






33. The spinning of Earth on its axis






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






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






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


37. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






46. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons


47. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






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






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






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