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 farther away a galaxy is - the faster it is moving away


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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






12. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






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






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






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






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






18. 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






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






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






21. A rapidly spinning neutron star that produces radio waves






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






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






24. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons


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






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






27. 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






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






29. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






31. All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation






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






33. A graph relating the temperature and brightness of stars






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






41. Radiation left over from the beginning of the universe






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


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






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






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






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






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






48. A faint star of enormous density






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






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