FREE Basic Astronomy Questions and Answers
Within our solar system, the tiniest planet is:
Correct Answer: Mercury
Since Mercury is the minor planet in our solar system, the correct response is that with a diameter of roughly 4,879 kilometers, it is marginally more significant than the moon of Earth. Mercury is smaller than some of the solar system's moons, like Saturn's moon Titan and Jupiter's moon Ganymede. Mercury has a weaker gravitational pull than more giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn, partly because of its small size.
Our Milky Way galaxy is what kind of galaxy?
Correct Answer: A spiral galaxy
Spiral galaxies include our Milky Way. This classification is based on its shape, which resembles a flat disk with spiral arms extending from a central bulge. The unique spiral structure of spiral galaxies, which has arms filled with gas, dust, and young stars, is what makes them unique. They also have an older star-filled central bulge. The structure and existence of spiral arms of the Milky Way lend credence to its classification as a spiral galaxy.
Light travels about 9,460,000,000,000 km in a year.
Correct Answer: TRUE
The distance that light travels in a year is 9,460,000,000,000 km. This is because light moves at a speed of roughly 299,792 km/s. There are 31,536,000 seconds in a year. We can calculate the distance that light travels in a year by multiplying the speed of light by the number of seconds in a year. The result is 9,460,000,000,000 km. The statement is accurate as a result.
To what extent is the galaxy visible in the night sky?
Correct Answer: 0.03%
The result of 0.000003% indicates that the galaxy is only partially visible in the night sky. This is because the galaxy is enormous, with billions of stars, planets, and other celestial objects, and the night sky is the only thing visible from Earth. This means that the percentage is meager, meaning that only a tiny portion of the galaxy is visible from Earth.
What will ultimately happen to our sun?
Correct Answer: White dwarf
Our sun will eventually turn into a white dwarf. This is due to the sun's eventual expansion into a red giant, which will lose its outer layers and the remnants of its dense core when its nuclear fuel runs out. After that, this core will progressively cool down over billions of years and turn into a white dwarf, a tiny, hot, and incredibly dense stellar remnant. A black hole is formed from the collapse of a massive star, while a fireball is not a scientifically recognized term for the fate of a star.
Which planet is the biggest among these?
Correct Answer: Jupiter
Jupiter is the most giant planet in our solar system. It has a diameter of about 143,000 kilometers, more than 11 times the diameter of Earth. Its massive size is due to its primarily hydrogen and helium gasses composition. Jupiter's immense gravity also contributes to its size, allowing it to gather and hold onto a large amount of gas and other materials. Its size and gravity make Jupiter a dominant force in the solar system, strongly influencing the orbits and dynamics of other planets and celestial bodies.
What is the number of galaxies in the universe that can be observed?
Correct Answer: 200 billion
The observable universe contains roughly 200 billion galaxies. This estimate was created based on observations from telescopes and other astronomical instruments. The part of the universe visible to us from Earth is known as the "observable universe," it is constantly growing as light from far-off objects makes its way to us. The enormous number of galaxies in the observable universe demonstrates the vast scale and diversity of the cosmos.