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Tour of the Northern Sky Trivia Quiz

The sky is clear and you set up your telescope. While waiting for total darkness to set in, this quiz will test your knowledge of the northern skies. Have fun!

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

Author
StetsonHat

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
334,358

Updated
Sep 02 24

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
8 / 10

Plays
885

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. What area of the night sky is referred to as the northern sky? Hint

The area of the sky north of the celestial equator

The constellation Ursa Minor

The area of the sky around the north celestial pole

The sky as seen above Greenwich Observatory at midnight

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Question 2 of 10

2. Home to many galaxies of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, which constellation representing an Egyptian queen's hair is best viewed in spring? Hint

Cancer

Capricornus

Coma Berenices

Orion

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Question 3 of 10

3. Which large but faint constellation, containing a pair of bright globular clusters, M13 and M92, is named for a mythical hero? Hint

Bo�tes

Hercules

Cygnus

Orion

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Question 4 of 10

4. The constellation Lyra may be small but it contains one of the brightest stars in the sky. What is the name of this magnitude 0 star? Hint

Vindemiatrix

Deneb

Vega

Rigel

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Question 5 of 10

5. The north star, Polaris, is the second brightest star in the night sky.

True

False

6. The constellation Auriga, the charioteer, contains many splendid open clusters for binoculars and small telescopes. Three of these were catalogued by French comet hunter Charles Messier, M36 and M37 among them. What is the third "M" cluster in Auriga? Hint

M262

M56

M38

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Question 7 of 10

7. Orion contains many bright stars like Rigel and the famous Orion Nebula but most of these lie south of the celestial equator. What red giant does lie in the northern sky? Hint

Altair

Mintaka

Betelgeuse

Sirius

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Question 8 of 10

8. Gemini, the twins from Greek myth, contains which two bright stars? Hint

Achilles and Odysseus

Sirius and Procyon

Castor and Pollux

Spica and Regulus

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Question 9 of 10

9. Sagittarius, the archer, is located in the southern sky but which constellation, representing an arrow, is located in the northern sky? Hint

Sagitta

Lacerta

Vulpecula

Leo Minor

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Question 10 of 10

10. A large square shaped asterism is formed by one star of the constellation Andromeda and 3 stars of which other constellation, named for the winged horse of Greek myth? Hint

Cepheus

Icarus

Centaurus

Pegasus

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. What area of the night sky is referred to as the northern sky?

Answer: The area of the sky north of the celestial equator

The celestial equator divides the sky into two hemispheres, north and south, just like the equator on Earth that divides our planet into the northern and southern hemispheres.

2. Home to many galaxies of the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, which constellation representing an Egyptian queen's hair is best viewed in spring?

Answer: Coma Berenices

The area of the sky where the Virgo Galaxy Cluster is located has numerous galaxies that are visible in moderate amateur telescopes.

3. Which large but faint constellation, containing a pair of bright globular clusters, M13 and M92, is named for a mythical hero?

Answer: Hercules

M13, the Great Cluster in Hercules, is easily visible through binoculars and spectacular through any size telescope.

4. The constellation Lyra may be small but it contains one of the brightest stars in the sky. What is the name of this magnitude 0 star?

Answer: Vega

Vega is also known as Alpha Lyrae and is considered the standard for a magnitude 0 star.

5. The north star, Polaris, is the second brightest star in the night sky.

Answer: False

At just magnitude +2, Polaris barely makes it into the top 50!

Answer: M38

Yes, it is M38! M37 is by far the richest (i.e. contains the most stars) of the three but M36 and M38 have brighter stars.

7. Orion contains many bright stars like Rigel and the famous Orion Nebula but most of these lie south of the celestial equator. What red giant does lie in the northern sky?

Answer: Betelgeuse

Betelgeuse is a red supergiant star that will explode as a supernova in the near future.... astronomically speaking.

8. Gemini, the twins from Greek myth, contains which two bright stars?

Answer: Castor and Pollux

The sons of Leda were inseparable until Castor, a mortal, was killed. Zeus placed both twins in the skies.

9. Sagittarius, the archer, is located in the southern sky but which constellation, representing an arrow, is located in the northern sky?

Answer: Sagitta

Sagitta is a small but distinct constellation in the rich starfields of the summer Milky Way within the region of sky delineated by the "Summer Triangle"

10. A large square shaped asterism is formed by one star of the constellation Andromeda and 3 stars of which other constellation, named for the winged horse of Greek myth?

Answer: Pegasus

Pegasus was ridden by the hero Perseus in his quest to kill the Gorgon Medusa. The four stars that form the Great Square of Pegasus lie in an otherwise rather barren expanse of sky visible in the fall in the northern hemisphere.

Source: Author StetsonHat

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