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






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






3. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






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






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






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






8. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






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






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






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






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






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






15. The two days of the year on which neither hemisphere is tilted toward or away from the sun






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






17. 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






18. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






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






20. The small - dense remains of a high-mass star after a supernova






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






22. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






23. The spinning of Earth on its axis






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






34. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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