Science General · Geography

Astronomy and Celestial Phenomena

1,884 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

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).

Multiple choice

The 22 year solar cycle refers to

  1. the length of time taken by the sun to rotate

  2. sunspots

  3. variation in the total number of detected neutrinos

  4. the length of a cycle for the time taken by proton-proton cycle
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The sunspot cycle happens because of pole flip — North becomes South and South becomes North—approximately every 11 years. Some 11 years later, the poles reverse again back to where they started, making the full solar cycle actually a 22-year phenomenon. The Sun behaves similarly over the course of each 11-year cycle no matter which pole is on top.

Multiple choice

Diamond ring is a phenomenon observed

  1. at the start of a total solar eclipse

  2. at the end of a total solar eclipse

  3. only along the peripheral regions of the totality trail

  4. only in the central regions of the totality trail
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Diamond ring is observed in a solar eclipse, only along the peripheral regions of the totality trail.

Multiple choice

Which is the longest day in the northern hemisphere?

  1. 20th June

  2. 21st June

  3. 22nd December

  4. 23rd December
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The summer solstice in the northern hemisphere occurs on June 21st, marking the longest day of the year. Other dates listed do not correspond to this astronomical event.

Multiple choice

Equinox occurs when the sun is vertically over the

  1. equator

  2. tropic of cancer

  3. tropic of Capricorn

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

An equinox occurs when the sun is positioned directly over the equator, resulting in nearly equal day and night lengths globally. This happens twice a year.