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. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






9. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


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






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






12. A model of the universe based on the assumption that the sun - moon - and planets all orbit Earth






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






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






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






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






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






18. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






20. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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






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






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






24. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






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






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






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






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






29. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






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






32. 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.






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






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

Warning: Invalid argument supplied for foreach() in /var/www/html/basicversity.com/show_quiz.php on line 183


35. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






37. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






38. 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






39. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






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






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






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






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






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






46. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






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






48. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






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






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