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 contracting cloud of gas and dust with enough mass to form a star






2. Any natural satellite of a planet






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






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






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






6. 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






7. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






9. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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


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






12. Chunk of rock or dust in space






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






25. 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






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






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






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






29. A faint star of enormous density






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






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






32. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






41. A faint star of enormous density






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






43. The decrease in wavelength of light due to an object moving away from the oberver






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






45. A faint star of enormous density






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






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






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






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






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