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 apparent westward motion of the planets with respect to the stars






2. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






18. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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

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






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






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






23. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






35. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






36. 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






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






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






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






40. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






48. The spinning of Earth on its axis






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






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