Question 1

Copernicus popularized the concept of the Sun being the center of the Solar System.  Where was he from?

Accepted Answer

Poland - Yep  With a name like Copernicus, you would assume he was from some Italianate city-state, but he was a Pole.

Question 2

Most people remember Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, etc.  What year was the first Moon landing?

Accepted Answer

1969 - Nixon was president, and no one had ever heard of Watergate.

Question 3

The idea of the geocentric (Earth-centered) universe was dominant for centuries before scientific astronomy took over.  What is that view of the universe referred to now?

Accepted Answer

the Ptolemaic system - The system takes its name from Claudius Ptolemaeus, an Alexandrian polymath and astrologer born about 100 CE.

Question 4

The Crab Nebula is a famous astronomical object.  What is it?  (Other than a nebula.)

Accepted Answer

supernova remnent - It's believed that the supernova was first observed in 1054 CE.  At 6500 lightyears from Earth, the explosion happened about 7500 years ago.

Question 5

Alpha Centauri is the nearest star to our solar system.  How far is it?

Accepted Answer

4.2 light-years - Alpha Centauri is actually a triple star and the third-brightest star from Earth.

Question 6

With much anticipation, millions eagerly awaited the return of Haley's Comet in 1986.  How long had it been since its last visit?

Accepted Answer

1910 - Haley's Comet has roughly a 75-year orbit, named for the English astronomer who figured out it was the same comet over and over.

Question 7

There are 88 recognized constellations, but only 12 are part of the Zodiac.  What makes them different?

Accepted Answer

They're in the path the sun travels in the sky - Set by the Babylonians around 500 BCE, the Zodiac occupies the area the moon and all visible planets travel.

Question 8

Solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun.  How often does a solar eclipse cover the entire Earth?

Accepted Answer

Never - The Moon is too small and near the Earth to block the Sun from the entire planet's surface.

Question 9

Another famous astronomer who revolutionized the science was Galileo.  But what was his first name?

Accepted Answer

That is his first name - His name was Galileo Galilei.  Pretty redundant, if you ask me.

Question 10

Lots of people know that Sirius is the visibly brightest star from Earth, but which constellation is it part of?

Accepted Answer

Canis Major - Sirius is part of Canis Major which means the Greater Dog, leading to Sirius receiving the nickname "the Dog star".

Question 11

Which of these stars never sets below the horizon in the Northern hemisphere?

Accepted Answer

Polaris - Polaris is the Pole Star, used throughout history by navigators, explorers, and Boy Scouts to find north because it never sets.

Question 12

Galileo observed four moving points of light near Jupiter which he correctly theorized orbited the planet.  What are these 4 bodies called today?

Accepted Answer

the Galilean moons - Galileo actually called them "Cosimo's Stars" for the DeMedici patriarch.  German astronomer Marius coined the name which finally stuck.

Question 13

The list of 110 nebulae, galaxies, and other deep-space objects that were frequently mistaken for comets are known as what kind of objects?

Accepted Answer

Messier - French astronomer Charles Messier was just interested in finding comets, but his list include many of the most popular targets for amateur astronomers even today.

Question 14

Catalogued as M31, the Andromeda Galaxy is the galaxy nearest our own Milky Way.  But who was it named for?

Accepted Answer

an Ethiopian princess - Andromeda was the princess rescued and finally married by Perseus in the Greek myth.

Question 15

Another name from Greek myth was given to an open cluster of stars sometimes called "The Seven Sisters".  What's their more formal name?

Accepted Answer

the Pleiades - The Pleiades are visible to the naked eye in the constellation Taurus.

Question 16

German astronomer Johannes Kepler formulated a set of rules involving what important phenomenon?

Accepted Answer

orbits - Technically call Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion, they describe how orbits aren't circular and other associated rules.

Question 17

Another famous law of astronomy is Bode's Law, a formula that predicts how far planets occur from their star.  What was unusual about Bode's Law?

Accepted Answer

It's incorrect - Bode's Law was a good idea and worked until they discovered Neptune and it proved the formula flawed.

Question 18

One of the most recognized constellations of the Northern hemisphere is shaped like the letter "W".  What is its name?

Accepted Answer

Cassiopeia - She was queen of Ethiopia and mother of the same Andromeda who gave her name to both a galaxy and a constellation.

Question 19

Objects in deep space are often moving away at high rates of speed are detectable by their what?

Accepted Answer

Red shift - The faster the object is moving away, the slower the light frequency they emit, creating the so-called spectroscopic "red shift" versus objects getting closer would have a "blue shift".

Question 20

"The Big Dipper" ("the Plough" in the UK & Ireland) is not a constellation but only part of one.  Which constellation?

Accepted Answer

Ursa Major - Ursa Major ("the Greater Bear") is highly recognizable, but only because of the distinctive pattern within it made by these 7 stars.

Question 21

According to the International Astronomical Union, which is the largest of the 88 constellations?

Accepted Answer

Hydra - Yep.  A lesser known constellation but occupying more space in the night sky, Hydra may be big but has no truly notable stars.

Question 22

And which is the smallest constellation?

Accepted Answer

Crux - Okay, this is a toughie.  Crux is an important constellation in the Southern Hemisphere but small in area, making this a more obscure fact.  Give yourself extra points if you got it correct.

Question 23

An important factor in amateur astronomy is how bright a star is (AKA its "apparent magnitude").  Roughly, how much difference is between magnitudes?

Accepted Answer

2.5x - The scale of visual magnitude is reverse logarithmic with a difference of 2.512 times between magnitudes, unlike seismic magnitude of earthquakes which is 10x.

Question 24

Saturn is known as the ringed planet, but it's not alone.  How many planets in our solar system have rings?

Accepted Answer

4 - While not as showy as Saturn, all four of the outer planets (which are gas giants) of the solar system have rings.

Astronomy: Galaxies, Stars, Planets, and Little Green Men. Wait... What?

2) Most people remember Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, etc. What year was the first Moon landing?

3) The idea of the geocentric (Earth-centered) universe was dominant for centuries before scientific astronomy took over. What is that view of the universe referred to now?

4) The Crab Nebula is a famous astronomical object. What is it? (Other than a nebula.)

5) Alpha Centauri is the nearest star to our solar system. How far is it?

6) With much anticipation, millions eagerly awaited the return of Haley's Comet in 1986. How long had it been since its last visit?

7) There are 88 recognized constellations, but only 12 are part of the Zodiac. What makes them different?

8) Solar eclipses occur when the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun. How often does a solar eclipse cover the entire Earth?

9) Another famous astronomer who revolutionized the science was Galileo. But what was his first name?

10) Lots of people know that Sirius is the visibly brightest star from Earth, but which constellation is it part of?

11) Which of these stars never sets below the horizon in the Northern hemisphere?

12) Galileo observed four moving points of light near Jupiter which he correctly theorized orbited the planet. What are these 4 bodies called today?

13) The list of 110 nebulae, galaxies, and other deep-space objects that were frequently mistaken for comets are known as what kind of objects?

14) Catalogued as M31, the Andromeda Galaxy is the galaxy nearest our own Milky Way. But who was it named for?

15) Another name from Greek myth was given to an open cluster of stars sometimes called "The Seven Sisters". What's their more formal name?

16) German astronomer Johannes Kepler formulated a set of rules involving what important phenomenon?

17) Another famous law of astronomy is Bode's Law, a formula that predicts how far planets occur from their star. What was unusual about Bode's Law?

18) One of the most recognized constellations of the Northern hemisphere is shaped like the letter "W". What is its name?

19) Objects in deep space are often moving away at high rates of speed are detectable by their what?

20) "The Big Dipper" ("the Plough" in the UK & Ireland) is not a constellation but only part of one. Which constellation?

21) According to the International Astronomical Union, which is the largest of the 88 constellations?

22) And which is the smallest constellation?

23) An important factor in amateur astronomy is how bright a star is (AKA its "apparent magnitude"). Roughly, how much difference is between magnitudes?

24) Saturn is known as the ringed planet, but it's not alone. How many planets in our solar system have rings?