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






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






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






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






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






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






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






8. 23.5° - the reason we have seasons


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






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






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


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






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






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






15. 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






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






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






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






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






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






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


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






23. The brilliant explosion of a dying supergiant star






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






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






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






27. The spinning of Earth on its axis






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






36. Any natural satellite of a planet






37. The rainbow effect when light is dispersed through lens






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






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






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






41. Explained movement of planets with retrograde motion






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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






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