Astronomy Trivia Part 1

1. Distance between Earth and Sun is called a(n) A) Astronomical Unit B) Light Year C) 4.2 D) 63,000 answer A 2. Light from the Sun takes how long to reach Earth? A) 4 hours B) 8 days C) 8 minutes D) 4 seconds answer C 3. Our nearest star is named: A) Alpha Centauri 00 B)Andromeda C)Tauri D)Proxima Centauri answer A 4. How far away is our nearest star? A)250,000 miles B)4.2 Lightyears 00 C)5.8 Lightyears D) 63,000au answer B 5. How long does it take light from our Sun to reach Neptune? A) 4.2 Ly B) 4 years C) 4 hours D) 4 months answer C 6. One light year is how many Astronomical Units? A) 2.6 B) 63,000 C) 630,000 D) 1 answer B 7. What is the area of our galaxy where stars are born? A) Local Group B) nova C) spiral arms D) equant answer C 8. How wide across is our galaxy? A) 100,000ly B) 63,000au C) 260,000ly D) 20,000ly answer A 9. The small cluster of galaxies to which the Milky Way belongs is called what? A) solar system B) spiral arms C) seeds D) local group answer D 10. How close to the center of our galaxy is our sun? A) 20,000ly B) 25,000ly C) 30,000ly D) 100,000ly answer C

Astronomy Trivia Part 2

1. Ptolemaic theory has planets moving in a circle called: A) epicycle B) elipse C) paradigm D) parallax answer A 2. A model of the universe with the Earth at center A) heliocentric B) theory C) geocentric D) paradigm answer C 3. A theory almost universally accepted as true. A) paradigm B) model C) defent D) natural law answer D 4. A group of assumptions on which a theory is based A) theory B) paradigm C) model D) parallax answer B 5. Which of these astronomers held a Heliocentric view? A) Aristotle B) Ptolemy C) Copernicus D) Pythagoras answer C 6. Which astronomer held a Geocentric view? A) Kepler B) Ptolemy C) Brahe D) Stagliano answer B 7. Who wrote the law of inverse squares/ A) Blackwell B) Kepler C) Newton D) Einstien answer C 8. A body will remain at rest till acted on by force What is this called? A) Inertia B) Gravity C) Paradigm D) Relativity answer A 9. The apparent backwards motion of planets is called: A) solar system B) epicycle C) gravitaional pull D) retrograde motion answer D 10. Who refined the telescope? A) Tycho Brahe B) Kepler C) Galileo D) Copernicus answer C

Astronomy Trivia Part 3

1. Time it takes for the moon to complete one orbit relative to the stars. A) Sidereal Period B) Light Year C) Synodic Period D) Neap Tide answer A 2. Points where an object passes through the plane of the Earth’s orbit A) Sidereal Period B) Synodic Period C) Nodes D) Bradley seconds answer C 3. Eruptions on the Sun’s surface visible during a total solar eclipse A) Total Eclipse B) Perigee C) Corona D) Prominences answer D 4. Portion of a shadow that is partically shaded A) Umbra B) Penumbra C) Corona D) Luna Eclipse answer B 5.Low-density, high-temperature outer atmosphere composed of gas which is visible during a total solar eclipse A) Apogee B) Umbra C) Corona D) Perigee answer C 6. The point closest to the Earth for a body orbitting the Earth A) Apogee B) Perigee C) Neap tide D) Node answer B 7. When is the moon in a direct line between the Earth and the Sun?,br> A) Full Moon B) Last quarter C) New moon D) First quarter answer C 8. The time it takes the moon to go through all its Phases is called: A) Synodic Period B) Sidereal Period C) Saros Cycle D) Lunar Perigee answer A 9. How long does it take the Moon to orbit the Earth A) One Year B) 8 minutes C) 185 days D) about a month answer D 10. During which moon phase can a lunar take place? A) full B) waxing cresent C) new D) last quarter answer A

Astronomy Trivia Part 4

1. What is the point in the sky directly overhead? A) Zenith B) Revolution C) North D) Vernal Equinox

answer A 2. What is an angular unit of measure (60 per degree)? A) rotation B) revolution C) minute of arc D) second of arc answer C 3. What is a stellar pattern named for animals and gods A) celestial sphere B) aphelion C) constellation D) solstice answer C 4. What is the point on the celestial sphere where the sun is farthest South? A) summer solstice B) winter solstice C) asterism D) equinox answer B 5.What is a system for describing the brightness of a star ? A) perihelion B) ecliptic C) magnitude scale D) asterism answer C 6. What is the name of the orbital point when a planet is closest to the sun? A) ecliptic B) perihelion C) asterism D) equator answer B 7. What is the apparent path of the sun called? A) Local Group B) zenith C) ecliptic D) equant answer C 8. What is the slow change in direction of Earth’s axis? A) precession B) rotation C) rerograde D) aphelion answer A 9. What is the orbit point when a planet is most distant from the sun? A) zenith B) ecliptic C) vernal D) aphelion answer D 10. When does the sun cross the celestial equator going southward A) 20,000ly B) summer solstice C) autumn equinox D) vernal equinox answer C