Science General · Geography

Astronomy and Celestial Phenomena

1,839 Questions

This section provides practice questions on astronomy and celestial phenomena, focusing on eclipses, planetary movements, and tides. These concepts are commonly tested in general science sections of various competitive exams. Use this hub to practice questions related to the Earth, Moon, and solar system dynamics.

Solar and lunar eclipsesEquinoxes and solsticesPlanetary movementsOcean tidesCoriolis effectMeteor showers

Astronomy and Celestial Phenomena Questions

Multiple choice

_________ is an example of a self-luminous body.

  1. Moon

  2. Electric lamp

  3. Candle

  4. Sun
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Self-luminous bodies produce their own light through internal processes like nuclear fusion. The Sun generates light internally. The Moon reflects sunlight. Electric lamps and candles produce light through external energy sources (electricity or combustion), not internal self-luminosity.

Multiple choice

The sun appears red at sunrise and sunset while it appears white at noon, because

  1. of refraction

  2. it is cooler at sunrise and sunset

  3. of diffraction

  4. of scattering of light due to dust particles and air molecules
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The sun appears red at sunrise and sunset due to Rayleigh scattering - shorter wavelengths (blue, violet) scatter away when sunlight travels through more atmosphere at these angles, leaving longer wavelengths (red, orange) to reach our eyes. At noon, when sunlight travels through less atmosphere, all wavelengths reach us more equally, making the sun appear white.

Multiple choice

When the Sun is nearest to the Earth, the Earth is said to be in

  1. aphelion

  2. perihelion

  3. apogee

  4. perigee
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Perihelion is the point in Earth's orbit where it is closest to the Sun, occurring around January 3-4 each year. Aphelion is the opposite point when Earth is farthest from the Sun. Apogee and perigee refer to the Moon's orbit around Earth, not the Earth-Sun distance.

Multiple choice

What is the main idea of this passage?

Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

THE EARTH KEEPS TURNING

Days follow nights and nights follow days because the earth keeps turning from west to east. The light around us keeps on changing slowly through the day, as the sun’s place in sky moves from east to west. People love the moments when the light around us changes suddenly, as that makes everything look so different. When, the sun springs up and colors the clouds with its light, we call it a sunrise. A sunrise is a beautiful sight. When at the end of the day the sun goes down, evening falls with the moment of sunset. It is the beginning of night. Since the earth keeps on turning through the night without rest, the sun comes up with another day. However, in the old days people believed that the earth stood still, while the sun went around the earth bringing day and night.

 

  1. The sunlight and its beauty

  2. Earlier people believed that the earth stood still.

  3. A sunrise is a beautiful sight.

  4. The movement of the earth
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The passage begins by explaining that 'Days follow nights and nights follow days because the earth keeps turning from west to east.' The entire passage focuses on how Earth's continuous rotation causes day and night cycles, sunrise and sunset, and changing light patterns. Option D captures this central theme - the passage is fundamentally about the movement of the earth and its effects.

Multiple choice

The sun's in the sky moves from east to west. So it means, the sun rises in the_____

Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

THE EARTH KEEPS TURNING

Days follow nights and nights follow days because the earth keeps turning from west to east. The light around us keeps on changing slowly through the day, as the sun’s place in sky moves from east to west. People love the moments when the light around us changes suddenly, as that makes everything look so different. When, the sun springs up and colors the clouds with its light, we call it a sunrise. A sunrise is a beautiful sight. When at the end of the day the sun goes down, evening falls with the moment of sunset. It is the beginning of night. Since the earth keeps on turning through the night without rest, the sun comes up with another day. However, in the old days people believed that the earth stood still, while the sun went around the earth bringing day and night.

 

  1. west

  2. east

  3. south

  4. north
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The passage states that 'the sun's place in sky moves from east to west.' If the sun moves across the sky from east toward west, it must first appear in the east (sunrise) and then set in the west. This is basic astronomical fact caused by Earth's west-to-east rotation.

Multiple choice

What happens when the earth keeps turning?

Read the passage and answer the question that follows.

THE EARTH KEEPS TURNING

Days follow nights and nights follow days because the earth keeps turning from west to east. The light around us keeps on changing slowly through the day, as the sun’s place in sky moves from east to west. People love the moments when the light around us changes suddenly, as that makes everything look so different. When, the sun springs up and colors the clouds with its light, we call it a sunrise. A sunrise is a beautiful sight. When at the end of the day the sun goes down, evening falls with the moment of sunset. It is the beginning of night. Since the earth keeps on turning through the night without rest, the sun comes up with another day. However, in the old days people believed that the earth stood still, while the sun went around the earth bringing day and night.

 

  1. The sun stands still.

  2. Sun light reaches the Earth.

  3. Clouds get spread all over the sky.

  4. Days follow nights and nights follow days.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The passage explicitly states in the first sentence that 'Days follow nights and nights follow days because the earth keeps turning from west to east.' Option D directly paraphrases this core idea.

Multiple choice

Rotation of earth causes

  1. water

  2. fauna and flora

  3. days and nights

  4. global fusion

Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Earth's rotation on its axis causes the cycle of day and night as different parts of the planet face toward or away from the Sun. Water, fauna, and flora exist on Earth but are not caused by rotation. Global fusion is not a valid scientific term.

Multiple choice

The moon revolves around

  1. The Sun

  2. The Earth

  3. Jupiter

  4. Mars
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite and orbits our planet. It takes approximately 27.3 days to complete one revolution around Earth, which creates the lunar phases we observe from Earth's surface.

Multiple choice

Find out the appropriate word and fill blank (viii).

Directions: In the given passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered.

In a ____(i)____ space event, Venus, the second closest planet from the sun, passed in front of the sun on 5 June 2012. The rare ____(ii)____ display began shortly after 2200 GMT on 5 June 2012 in ____(iii)____ of North America. Subsequently, it was ____(iv)____ in Central America, and the northern part of South America. The view at the time when Venus was ____(­v)____ the Sun was ____(vi)____, as a tiny black dot appeared on the solar _____(vii)_____. Venus is 100th of the _____(viii)_____ of the Sun, so while moving across from one side to the other, it was just a black spot placed over on the disc of the Sun. The celestial _____(ix)_____ which repeats itself after every 100 years, will now be rewitnessed only in 2117. The space phenomenon is _____(x)_____ on the Earth when the Venus passes between the Sun and the Earth.

  1. caliber

  2. diameter

  3. measure

  4. orbit

  5. caricature
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The passage states that Venus is 100th of the diameter of the Sun, which is a factual astronomical comparison. 'Diameter' is the correct term to describe the measurement across the Sun's disc, making option B correct. Caliber means quality or ability, measure is too general, and orbit refers to the path around the Sun.

Multiple choice

Find out the appropriate word and fill blank (i).

Directions: In the given passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered.

In a ____(i)____ space event, Venus, the second closest planet from the sun, passed in front of the sun on 5 June 2012. The rare ____(ii)____ display began shortly after 2200 GMT on 5 June 2012 in ____(iii)____ of North America. Subsequently, it was ____(iv)____ in Central America, and the northern part of South America. The view at the time when Venus was ____(­v)____ the Sun was ____(vi)____, as a tiny black dot appeared on the solar _____(vii)_____. Venus is 100th of the _____(viii)_____ of the Sun, so while moving across from one side to the other, it was just a black spot placed over on the disc of the Sun. The celestial _____(ix)_____ which repeats itself after every 100 years, will now be rewitnessed only in 2117. The space phenomenon is _____(x)_____ on the Earth when the Venus passes between the Sun and the Earth.

  1. unusual

  2. material

  3. unimaginable

  4. rare

  5. unique
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The passage describes the Venus transit as a 'rare' event that occurs once every 100+ years. The context of the sentence 'In a ____ space event' and the later mention of its rarity makes 'rare' the most appropriate fit. 'Unusual' and 'unique' don't capture the extreme scarcity, while 'unimaginable' and 'material' don't fit the astronomical context.

Multiple choice

Find out the appropriate word and fill blank (v).

Directions: In the given passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered.

In a ____(i)____ space event, Venus, the second closest planet from the sun, passed in front of the sun on 5 June 2012. The rare ____(ii)____ display began shortly after 2200 GMT on 5 June 2012 in ____(iii)____ of North America. Subsequently, it was ____(iv)____ in Central America, and the northern part of South America. The view at the time when Venus was ____(­v)____ the Sun was ____(vi)____, as a tiny black dot appeared on the solar _____(vii)_____. Venus is 100th of the _____(viii)_____ of the Sun, so while moving across from one side to the other, it was just a black spot placed over on the disc of the Sun. The celestial _____(ix)_____ which repeats itself after every 100 years, will now be rewitnessed only in 2117. The space phenomenon is _____(x)_____ on the Earth when the Venus passes between the Sun and the Earth.

  1. settling

  2. expanded

  3. emphasised

  4. crossing

  5. drumming
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The sentence 'Venus was ____ the Sun' describes the action of Venus moving across the Sun's disc. 'Crossing' is the most appropriate verb as it accurately describes the transit motion where Venus appears to move from one side of the Sun to the other. Settling, expanded, emphasized, and drumming don't describe this astronomical movement.

Multiple choice

Find out the appropriate word and fill blank (x).

Directions: In the given passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered.

In a ____(i)____ space event, Venus, the second closest planet from the sun, passed in front of the sun on 5 June 2012. The rare ____(ii)____ display began shortly after 2200 GMT on 5 June 2012 in ____(iii)____ of North America. Subsequently, it was ____(iv)____ in Central America, and the northern part of South America. The view at the time when Venus was ____(­v)____ the Sun was ____(vi)____, as a tiny black dot appeared on the solar _____(vii)_____. Venus is 100th of the _____(viii)_____ of the Sun, so while moving across from one side to the other, it was just a black spot placed over on the disc of the Sun. The celestial _____(ix)_____ which repeats itself after every 100 years, will now be rewitnessed only in 2117. The space phenomenon is _____(x)_____ on the Earth when the Venus passes between the Sun and the Earth.

  1. visible

  2. clear

  3. show

  4. sight

  5. spectacle
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The final blank describes when the space phenomenon is observed from Earth. 'Visible' is the correct choice as the sentence structure 'is _____ on the Earth when the Venus passes between the Sun and the Earth' requires an adjective describing observability. Clear, show, sight (noun), and spectacle don't grammatically or semantically fit the context.

Multiple choice

Find out the appropriate word and fill blank (iv).

Directions: In the given passage, there are blanks, each of which has been numbered.

In a ____(i)____ space event, Venus, the second closest planet from the sun, passed in front of the sun on 5 June 2012. The rare ____(ii)____ display began shortly after 2200 GMT on 5 June 2012 in ____(iii)____ of North America. Subsequently, it was ____(iv)____ in Central America, and the northern part of South America. The view at the time when Venus was ____(­v)____ the Sun was ____(vi)____, as a tiny black dot appeared on the solar _____(vii)_____. Venus is 100th of the _____(viii)_____ of the Sun, so while moving across from one side to the other, it was just a black spot placed over on the disc of the Sun. The celestial _____(ix)_____ which repeats itself after every 100 years, will now be rewitnessed only in 2117. The space phenomenon is _____(x)_____ on the Earth when the Venus passes between the Sun and the Earth.

  1. Hidden

  2. visible

  3. signal

  4. visual

  5. obvious
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The passage states that after being visible in parts of North America, the event 'was ____ in Central America.' 'Visible' is the correct answer as it maintains the theme of observability. The context describes geographic progression of visibility, making 'visible' the logical continuation. Hidden contradicts the event being seen, while signal, visual (adjective vs verb mismatch), and obvious don't fit the grammatical structure.