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

What is the approximate rate of Earth’s revolution around the sun?

  1. 1° per year

  2. 1° per day

  3. 15° per year

  4. 15° per day

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

1° per day is the approximate rate of Earth’s revolution around the sun. The formula which is used to calculate this is Kepler’s third law which states that the squares of the orbital periods of planets are directly proportional to the cubes of the axes of the orbits. Earth's orbit is an ellipse, i.e. 360° and it takes 365.25 days to go 360°. So in one day, Earth moves 1.0145833°.

Multiple choice

As viewed from Earth, stars appear to move across the sky at night because of

  1. Earth’s revolution

  2. Earth’s rotation

  3. Both (1) and (2)

  4. Neither (1) nor (2)
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

As viewed from Earth, stars appear to move across the sky at night because of Earth’s rotation. The stars appear to move, but it is actually just our location on Earth that is moving (West to East). Any actual motion of the stars is too small to detect because of the huge distances involved.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace ‘casts’ as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

When the moon in its juornie (1) around the earth, passes directly between the earth and the sun, it casts (2) its shadow on the surface of the earth, and an eclipse of the sun takes place. An eclipse of the sun occurs only when the moon is new, for then (3) the moon is on that side of the earth facing toward (4) the sun. Then why isn’t there are eclipse of the sun every time there’s a new moon? The reason (5) is that the path of the moon around the earth does not lie directly (6) in line with the orbit of the earth about the sun. In its 29–day trip around (7) the earth, the moon passes sometimes above and sometimes below the path (8) of the earth.

  1. radiates

  2. shines

  3. spreads

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

We are talking about the sun eclipse, when the moon comes between the sun and the earth and its shadow is visible..... So, the moon throws its shadow on the surface of earth. The other options do not fit in with the flow of the passage.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is the correct spelling of 'juornie'?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

When the moon in its juornie (1) around the earth, passes directly between the earth and the sun, it casts (2) its shadow on the surface of the earth, and an eclipse of the sun takes place. An eclipse of the sun occurs only when the moon is new, for then (3) the moon is on that side of the earth facing toward (4) the sun. Then why isn’t there are eclipse of the sun every time there’s a new moon? The reason (5) is that the path of the moon around the earth does not lie directly (6) in line with the orbit of the earth about the sun. In its 29–day trip around (7) the earth, the moon passes sometimes above and sometimes below the path (8) of the earth.

  1. jurney

  2. journey

  3. journie

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

he correct spellings are 'journey'.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'for then' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

When the moon in its juornie (1) around the earth, passes directly between the earth and the sun, it casts (2) its shadow on the surface of the earth, and an eclipse of the sun takes place. An eclipse of the sun occurs only when the moon is new, for then (3) the moon is on that side of the earth facing toward (4) the sun. Then why isn’t there are eclipse of the sun every time there’s a new moon? The reason (5) is that the path of the moon around the earth does not lie directly (6) in line with the orbit of the earth about the sun. In its 29–day trip around (7) the earth, the moon passes sometimes above and sometimes below the path (8) of the earth.

  1. because

  2. also with

  3. as a result of

  4. actually
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Here 'for then' is used to explain the reason of something. Therefore, because can be used to replace it.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'toward' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

When the moon in its juornie (1) around the earth, passes directly between the earth and the sun, it casts (2) its shadow on the surface of the earth, and an eclipse of the sun takes place. An eclipse of the sun occurs only when the moon is new, for then (3) the moon is on that side of the earth facing toward (4) the sun. Then why isn’t there are eclipse of the sun every time there’s a new moon? The reason (5) is that the path of the moon around the earth does not lie directly (6) in line with the orbit of the earth about the sun. In its 29–day trip around (7) the earth, the moon passes sometimes above and sometimes below the path (8) of the earth.

  1. near

  2. on road to

  3. in the direction of

  4. just before
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Towards' is used here to tell about the direction in which the earth is facing.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'path' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

When the moon in its juornie (1) around the earth, passes directly between the earth and the sun, it casts (2) its shadow on the surface of the earth, and an eclipse of the sun takes place. An eclipse of the sun occurs only when the moon is new, for then (3) the moon is on that side of the earth facing toward (4) the sun. Then why isn’t there are eclipse of the sun every time there’s a new moon? The reason (5) is that the path of the moon around the earth does not lie directly (6) in line with the orbit of the earth about the sun. In its 29–day trip around (7) the earth, the moon passes sometimes above and sometimes below the path (8) of the earth.

  1. lane

  2. side

  3. course

  4. face
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

'Path' here means the route or the course of the earth.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'around' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

When the moon in its juornie (1) around the earth, passes directly between the earth and the sun, it casts (2) its shadow on the surface of the earth, and an eclipse of the sun takes place. An eclipse of the sun occurs only when the moon is new, for then (3) the moon is on that side of the earth facing toward (4) the sun. Then why isn’t there are eclipse of the sun every time there’s a new moon? The reason (5) is that the path of the moon around the earth does not lie directly (6) in line with the orbit of the earth about the sun. In its 29–day trip around (7) the earth, the moon passes sometimes above and sometimes below the path (8) of the earth.

  1. toward

  2. ahead

  3. about

  4. under
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The moon makes a 29-day trip about the earth.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'reason' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

When the moon in its juornie (1) around the earth, passes directly between the earth and the sun, it casts (2) its shadow on the surface of the earth, and an eclipse of the sun takes place. An eclipse of the sun occurs only when the moon is new, for then (3) the moon is on that side of the earth facing toward (4) the sun. Then why isn’t there are eclipse of the sun every time there’s a new moon? The reason (5) is that the path of the moon around the earth does not lie directly (6) in line with the orbit of the earth about the sun. In its 29–day trip around (7) the earth, the moon passes sometimes above and sometimes below the path (8) of the earth.

  1. answer

  2. ground

  3. condition

  4. factor
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The previous sentence is a question. In the next sentence, answer is being to it. Therefore, (1) is the correct answer.

Multiple choice

Which of the following could replace 'directly' as used in the passage?

Directions: Read the following passage carefully and select the most suitable option according to the corresponding number in the passage.

When the moon in its juornie (1) around the earth, passes directly between the earth and the sun, it casts (2) its shadow on the surface of the earth, and an eclipse of the sun takes place. An eclipse of the sun occurs only when the moon is new, for then (3) the moon is on that side of the earth facing toward (4) the sun. Then why isn’t there are eclipse of the sun every time there’s a new moon? The reason (5) is that the path of the moon around the earth does not lie directly (6) in line with the orbit of the earth about the sun. In its 29–day trip around (7) the earth, the moon passes sometimes above and sometimes below the path (8) of the earth.

  1. openly

  2. straight

  3. ahead

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

Here directly means straight in line with the orbit of earth about the sun.

Multiple choice

The term ’syzygy’ is referred to when the

  1. Earth is at perihelion and moon at perigee

  2. Earth is at aphelion and moon at apogee

  3. Moon and sun are at right angles with reference to the earth

  4. Moon, sun and earth lie along a straight line
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

 The position of the sun, the moon and the earth in a straight line is called Syzygy. When the sun, the moon and the earth are in sequential order in a straight line, in other words, when the sun and moon are in one side of earth, the position is called Conjuction (the situation of solar eclipse). When the position of the earth is in between the sun and moon, this is called opposition. On the other hand, when sun, the earth and the moon are in a position of a right angle, this position is called quadrature. The nearest position of the moon with the earth is called perigee when the distance between them is 3,56,000 km. The farthest position of the moon with the earth is apogee (4,07,000 km).