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The Night Sky Trivia Quiz

Some of the beautiful and intriguing things you can see on a clear, dark night.

A multiple-choice quiz by wjames. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
wjames

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
365,610

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
1905

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 99 (6/10), EKlebanov (9/10), Guest 81 (7/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. If you were heading out into the country to watch the Leonids, Perseids and Orionids, what would you be looking for? Hint

Comets

Nebulae

Constellations

Meteors

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Question 2 of 10

2. What is the name of the hazy band of light that arcs across the clear night sky? Hint

Orion Nebula

Great Rift

Ecliptic

Milky Way

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which night sky phenomenon is caused by the collision of charged particles with the upper atmosphere? Hint

Aurora

Milky Way

Moon dogs

Corona

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Question 4 of 10

4. What is the largest artificial object in Earth orbit, which can often be seen with the naked eye? Hint

Skylab

International Space Station

Hubble Telescope

Soyuz

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Question 5 of 10

5. If your amateur astronomer friend is excited about seeing a "bolide", what have they seen? Hint

UFO

A ring around the sun or moon

A very bright or exploding meteor

The re-entry of a piece of space junk

6. Which sky phenomenon has been officially defined as "any airborne object which by performance, aerodynamic characteristics, or unusual features, does not conform to any presently known aircraft or missile type, or which cannot be positively identified as a familiar object."? Hint

FOIA

UZO

UFO

OUZO

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Question 7 of 10

7. What is a common name for the rare phenomenon known scientifically as "paraselene" or "beside the moon"? Hint

Lunar nebula

Moon dog

Moon shadow

Lunar corona

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Question 8 of 10

8. What do some people, in cultures all across the globe, claim to see in the full moon? Hint

Space Cowboy

Man in the Moon

Face of God

Chariots of the Gods

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Question 9 of 10

9. What is the term for the line between the light and dark areas of the Moon, a name that sounds like it came from Hollywood? Hint

Event Horizon

Terminator

Space Odyssey

Eclipse

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Question 10 of 10

10. Which night sky phenomenon have names such as "West", "Hyakutake" and "C/2006 P1"? Hint

Asteroids

Nebulae

Planetoids

Comets

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Nov 11 2024 : Guest 99: 6/10
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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. If you were heading out into the country to watch the Leonids, Perseids and Orionids, what would you be looking for?

Answer: Meteors

Meteor showers seem to originate from a point in the sky and are usually named for the nearest constellation. The largest showers are the Perseids, which peak in August, and the Leonids, which can be seen in November.

2. What is the name of the hazy band of light that arcs across the clear night sky?

Answer: Milky Way

The Milky Way is the name of our galaxy. From our position in the rim of the galaxy, we see the light from the other stars as a general band of light approximately 30 degrees wide.

3. Which night sky phenomenon is caused by the collision of charged particles with the upper atmosphere?

Answer: Aurora

The Aurora generally occurs in the high latitudes, usually within 20 degrees of the magnetic poles, but occasionally spreading into lower latitudes. Many have also reported sounds associated with the Aurora, and some early twenty-first century research in Norway and Alaska seems to support this.

4. What is the largest artificial object in Earth orbit, which can often be seen with the naked eye?

Answer: International Space Station

The International Space Station (ISS) is visible from approximately 95% of the Earth, and is as bright as Venus at magnitude -4. The ISS takes approximately 10 minutes to transit the night sky and many web sites and phone apps will help you locate the ISS at any time and location.

5. If your amateur astronomer friend is excited about seeing a "bolide", what have they seen?

Answer: A very bright or exploding meteor

Bolides are meteors that are unusually bright (magnitude -14 or greater) or that explode. "Bolide" is synonymous with "fireball", and it has been reported that some bolides can be heard.

Answer: UFO

The U.S. Air Force so defined Unidentified Flying Objects (UFO) in 1954. Reports of UFOs have declined steeply in recent years, since cell phone cameras have become ubiquitous.

7. What is a common name for the rare phenomenon known scientifically as "paraselene" or "beside the moon"?

Answer: Moon dog

Moon dogs are bright spots on a lunar halo, usually seen only when the moon is full and high, thin, icy clouds are present. "Moon Dog" is also a popular name in popular culture, including the nickname of disc jockey Alan Freed.

8. What do some people, in cultures all across the globe, claim to see in the full moon?

Answer: Man in the Moon

The dark areas of the moon (mares or "seas") seem to make the pattern of a human face or figure of the Man in the Moon. Some people see eyes and a mouth, others a full human form carrying a back pack or being accompanied by a dog.

9. What is the term for the line between the light and dark areas of the Moon, a name that sounds like it came from Hollywood?

Answer: Terminator

The terminator is the line between light (day) and dark (night) on the surface of the moon or any other planet or satellite. The moon is in synchronous rotation with the Earth, always showing the same side to us.

10. Which night sky phenomenon have names such as "West", "Hyakutake" and "C/2006 P1"?

Answer: Comets

Comets are collections of ice, dust and rock that orbit the Sun and, when they get close, heat up and become more visible. There are approximately 5,000 known comets and on average one per year is visible to the naked eye.

Source: Author wjames

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