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






2. A space telescope and camera named for a famous astronaut (Edward Hubble) used to study space elements






3. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






4. A faint star of enormous density






5. 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.






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






17. The brightness of a star when viewed from Earth






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






25. A star that falls into the main sequence category on the H-are diagram






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






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






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






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






30. A faint star of enormous density






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






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






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






34. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






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






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


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






38. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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






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






41. Any natural satellite of a planet






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






50. The theory that the universe originated 20 billion years ago from the cataclysmic explosion of a small mass of matter at extremely high density and temperature