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






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






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






4. The distance between crests of waves - such as those of the electromagnetic spectrum






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






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






7. A measure of the amount of light that a star actually emits






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






9. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






10. 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.






11. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






23. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






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






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






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






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






28. A graph relating the temperature and brightness of stars






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






30. The study of the universe






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






38. The motion of a spinning body (as a top) in which it wobbles so that the axis of rotation sweeps out a cone






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






46. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






47. Chunk of rock or dust in space






48. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






49. 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






50. 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