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Quiz about Astronomy
Quiz about Astronomy

Astronomy Trivia Quiz


This is a quiz about general astromomy. It was written in 2000, so please keep this in mind when planets are described.

A multiple-choice quiz by skywynd. Estimated time: 3 mins.
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Author
skywynd
Time
3 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
13,280
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Average
Avg Score
7 / 10
Plays
15357
Last 3 plays: Guest 212 (9/10), Guest 75 (6/10), Guest 75 (6/10).
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Question 1 of 10
1. Compared to the other planets in our solar system, where is the Earth? The _____ from the sun? Hint


Question 2 of 10
2. About how many individually distinguishable stars could you see WITHOUT the use of a telescope or binoculars, if you were away from the city on a clear night? Hint


Question 3 of 10
3. What is a solar eclipse? Hint


Question 4 of 10
4. A group of stars named by ancient people because of heroes or animals they reminded them of is called which of these? Hint


Question 5 of 10
5. Why do stars appear to twinkle when we look at them? Hint


Question 6 of 10
6. What is the name of the closest star to our Earth? Hint


Question 7 of 10
7. How far away from the Earth is our sun, approximately...? Hint


Question 8 of 10
8. Why do planets shine? Hint


Question 9 of 10
9. The word 'planet' comes from a Greek word meaning what? Hint


Question 10 of 10
10. What is a 'nebula'? Hint



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Most Recent Scores
Dec 19 2024 : Guest 212: 9/10
Dec 18 2024 : Guest 75: 6/10
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Dec 10 2024 : Guest 131: 7/10
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Score Distribution

quiz
Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Compared to the other planets in our solar system, where is the Earth? The _____ from the sun?

Answer: third rock

That's right folks, we are the third rock from the sun! The order goes: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Pluto used to be there at the end, but has since been demoted.
2. About how many individually distinguishable stars could you see WITHOUT the use of a telescope or binoculars, if you were away from the city on a clear night?

Answer: 2000

WITH the use of a powerful telescope, you could see millions of stars in just one small part of the sky.
3. What is a solar eclipse?

Answer: when the moon moves between the earth and the sun

During a solar eclipse, the moon blocks some or all of the light from the sun. A lunar eclipse is when the Earth moves between the sun and the moon.
4. A group of stars named by ancient people because of heroes or animals they reminded them of is called which of these?

Answer: constellation

Two constellations named after heroes in their myths include, Hercules and Orion. Some constellations named for what they looked like include Lyra (a harp), Corona Borealis a (crown), Leo ( a lion), Lupus (a wolf), and Ursa Major (a bear). One of the most famous constellations in the Northern Hemisphere is Ursa Major, the Big Bear.

This is where you will find the Big Dipper, which looked to the ancient people like, what else, a huge dipper in the sky!
5. Why do stars appear to twinkle when we look at them?

Answer: the earth's atmospheric layers bend their light rays

If you were in space, the stars would usually shine with a steady light. But their light rays, when passing through the different layers of air in our atmosphere, are bent, making them appear to twinkle!
6. What is the name of the closest star to our Earth?

Answer: Sol

The name 'Sol' is the word the ancient Romans gave to our sun. It was named after their sun god, Sol.
7. How far away from the Earth is our sun, approximately...?

Answer: 93 million miles

If we could travel at the speed of 25,000 miles per hour, it would take more than 5 months to reach the sun. But I don't think we would want to get that close!
8. Why do planets shine?

Answer: they reflect light from the sun

Planets are like huge mirrors in the sky. The sun shines light onto the planets, and that light is reflected back out into space, making them visible to us.
9. The word 'planet' comes from a Greek word meaning what?

Answer: wanderer

Atlas, according to a Greek myth, was a giant whose shoulders supported the heavens. A comet is a fuzzy snowball. Planets move in a path around the sun. Each planet has a different and unique orbiting path around the sun.
10. What is a 'nebula'?

Answer: a cloud of gas and dust

Nebula comes from the Latin word meaning cloud. One famous nebula is the Orion Nebula, where new stars are being born. Another is the Crab Nebula, which is the remains of a gigantic star that was viewed exploding in the year 1054 A.D. Another you might have heard of is the Horsehead Nebula, that looks like a giant horse's head!
Source: Author skywynd

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