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






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






3. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons


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






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






6. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






8. The apparent westward motion of the planets with respect to the stars






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






16. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






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






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






19. The increase in wavelength of light due to an object moving away from the observer






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






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


22. Any substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances






23. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






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






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






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






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






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






30. The elliptical motion of a body as it orbits another body in space






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






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






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






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






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






36. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons


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






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






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






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






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






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






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






44. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






45. 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






46. The study of the universe






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






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






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


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