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Astronomy : Part A Trivia Quiz

A quiz for anyone who loves (and knows a whole lot about) astronomy! Some of the questions are tricky so be careful. It helps to have a textbook on hand. Good luck.

A multiple-choice quiz by GeniusBoy. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
GeniusBoy

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
12,439

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
15

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
7 / 15

Plays
7975

Last 3 plays: angostura (15/15), H_Himasha (9/15), Guest 81 (6/15).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 15

1. Which moon of Saturn was almost shattered by the object that produced the Herschel Crater on its surface? Hint

Iapetus

Rhea

Titan

Mimas

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Question 2 of 15

2. In 2136 B.C. the two Imperial Court astronomers in China were executed for not predicting a solar eclipse. Name them? Hint

Hoy and Ho

Tsung and Chang

Hsi and Ho

Chin and Hsi

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Question 3 of 15

3. In what year did Galileo Galilei begin using the recently invented optical telescope to observe the heavens? Hint

1609

1610

1604

1608

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Question 4 of 15

4. What is the magnitude of the Sun from Earth? Hint

-26.72

-27.4

-25

-26.36

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Question 5 of 15

5. Which planet in our solar system is less dense than water which means that if all the planets were put into a huge ocean this planet would float? Hint

Uranus

Jupiter

Saturn

Pluto

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Question 6 of 15

6. Which of the four great Galilean moons around Jupiter is the closest to the planet? Hint

Ganymede

Europa

Callisto

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Question 7 of 15

7. How long is Earth's sidereal year? Hint

365.87 days

364.987 days

365.242 days

365.256 days

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Question 8 of 15

8. How long is a mean tropical year? Hint

365.242 days

365.687 days

365.256 days

366.012 days

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Question 9 of 15

9. In the year 14,000 which star will be the pole star? Hint

Sirius

Thuban

Vega

Polaris

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Question 10 of 15

10. In which vast area (50,000-100,000 A.U. in extent) are most long-period comets believed to originate? Hint

Oort Cloud

Hubble Belt

Kuiper Belt

Schiaparelli Cloud

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Question 11 of 15

11. How long is the sidereal day of the moon? Hint

28 earth days

27.3 earth days

29.4 earth days

26.6 earth days

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Question 12 of 15

12. Which American astronomer first described a subset of spiral galaxies characterized by one bright central region containing strong, broad emission lines in 1944? Hint

Clyde Tombaugh

Edwin Hubble

Carl K. Seyfert

Percival Lowell

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Question 13 of 15

13. Mars has two moons-Phobos and Deimos. What do those names literally mean? Hint

Terror and Blood

Fear and Terror

War and Death

Happy and Joy

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Question 14 of 15

14. How many planets have rings? Hint

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Question 15 of 15

15. Which planet is the largest of the terrestrial planets? Hint

Mars

Jupiter

Earth

Venus

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Most Recent Scores

Dec 17 2024 : angostura: 15/15
Dec 17 2024 : H_Himasha: 9/15
Dec 07 2024 : Guest 81: 6/15
Nov 29 2024 : Linda_Arizona: 7/15
Nov 21 2024 : Guest 143: 5/15
Nov 19 2024 : Guest 96: 7/15
Nov 09 2024 : Soumesh: 9/15
Nov 05 2024 : ozzz2002: 9/15
Oct 27 2024 : Guest 184: 7/15

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Which moon of Saturn was almost shattered by the object that produced the Herschel Crater on its surface?

Answer: Mimas

Mimas is the smallest of Saturn's moons and is heavily cratered due to frequent impacts throughout history. The Herschel Crater, which is named after the astronomer William Herschel, is all that remains of the object that almost shattered the small moon and makes it look like the Death Star from Star Wars.

2. In 2136 B.C. the two Imperial Court astronomers in China were executed for not predicting a solar eclipse. Name them?

Answer: Hsi and Ho

Back in the time of Hsi and Ho the Chinese believed that a solar eclipse was caused by a great dragon trying to eat the sun. They believed that creating a lot of noise would scare it away and when the eclipse of 2136 B.C. caught them off guard they thought it was just good fortune that the sun was not consumed by the monster.

3. In what year did Galileo Galilei begin using the recently invented optical telescope to observe the heavens?

Answer: 1609

The first telescopes were invented by lens makers in the Netherlands in 1608 and within a year Galileo Galilei had turned them on the sky.

4. What is the magnitude of the Sun from Earth?

Answer: -26.72

The Sun is the brightest thing we see from Earth. In comparison the full moon is -13 and at it's brightest Venus is -4.4.

5. Which planet in our solar system is less dense than water which means that if all the planets were put into a huge ocean this planet would float?

Answer: Saturn

6. Which of the four great Galilean moons around Jupiter is the closest to the planet?

Answer: Io

Io is also extremely volcanically active due to the tidal forces exerted on it by Jupiter's tremendous gravitational pull.

7. How long is Earth's sidereal year?

Answer: 365.256 days

A sidereal year is the time it takes the earth to complete one circuit around the sun. It is 20 minutes longer than a tropical year.

8. How long is a mean tropical year?

Answer: 365.242 days

A tropical year is the time measured from equinox to equinox. It is 20 minutes shorter than a sidereal year.

9. In the year 14,000 which star will be the pole star?

Answer: Vega

This is due to precession.

10. In which vast area (50,000-100,000 A.U. in extent) are most long-period comets believed to originate?

Answer: Oort Cloud

11. How long is the sidereal day of the moon?

Answer: 27.3 earth days

The moon is in a synchronous orbit around the earth.

12. Which American astronomer first described a subset of spiral galaxies characterized by one bright central region containing strong, broad emission lines in 1944?

Answer: Carl K. Seyfert

13. Mars has two moons-Phobos and Deimos. What do those names literally mean?

Answer: Fear and Terror

In Roman mythology Phobos and Deimos drew the chariot of the Roman war god-Mars.

14. How many planets have rings?

Answer: 4

All four Jovian planets have rings although Saturn's are the most prominent.

15. Which planet is the largest of the terrestrial planets?

Answer: Earth

Earth is the largest of the small, rocky planets.

Source: Author GeniusBoy

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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