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 geography how seasons occur - part i how seasons occur rotation and calculation of time seasons and time

__________ are caused by the rotation of the earth on its axis.

  1. Day and night

  2. Morning and night

  3. Evening and night

  4. none of these
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation


  • The Earth experiences days and nights as a result of the planet spinning on its axis.
  • As the planet spins, the part that is facing the sun experiences day, while it is a night for the part facing away from the sun.
  • The alternation between day and night is caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis.
  • If the Earth did not rotate as it does, the day/night cycle would be very different or possibly even nonexistent. 

Multiple choice geography how seasons occur - part i how seasons occur rotation and calculation of time seasons and time

There is a continuous daylight at the South Pole during the ______________.

  1. Autuman equinox

  2. Spring equinox

  3. Summer solstice

  4. Winter solstice
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation
  • The winter solstice falls on 22nd December during which there is continuous daylight on the South pole and continuous darkness at the North pole. Hence option D is correct.
  • During summer solstice i.e. 21st June, there is continuous daylight at the North pole.
  • Equinox refers to an equal period of darkness and daylight.
Multiple choice geography how seasons occur - part i how seasons occur rotation and calculation of time seasons and time

Define the Solstice days ?

  1. Sunrays become perpendicular on the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn respectively.

  2. Sunrays become horizontal on the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn respectively.

  3. Sunrays become parallel on the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn respectively.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

After 22nd March, other parallels between the equator and the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere start receiving perpendicular rays sequentially. Only on 21st June and 22nd December the sunrays become perpendicular on the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn respectively.These two days are called Solstice days.

Multiple choice geography how seasons occur - part i how seasons occur rotation and calculation of time seasons and time

Which is the longest day and the shortest night in the southern hemisphere ?

  1. 22nd December.

  2. 23rd December.

  3. 22nd June.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Sunrays are never perpendicular to any of the parallels between Tropic of Cancer and the North Pole or between Tropic of Capricorn and the South Pole. 22nd December marks the longest day and the shortest night in the southern hemisphere.

Multiple choice geography how seasons occur - part i how seasons occur rotation and calculation of time seasons and time

Which are the two factors responsible for the apparent movement of the sun ?

  1. Revolution of earth.

  2. Tilted axis of earth.

  3. Both A and B.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The movement of the sun towards the north or south in a year is called the apparent movement of the sun. The revolution of the earth around the sun and the tilted axis of the earth are the two factors responsible for the apparent movement of the sun. Seasons occur only with reference to the northern and the southern hemispheres.

Multiple choice geography how seasons occur - part i how seasons occur rotation and calculation of time seasons and time

Which is the longest day and shortest night in the northern hemisphere ?

  1. 21st June.

  2. 23rd June.

  3. 25th June.

  4. None of the above.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation
Sunrays are never perpendicular on any of the parallels between Tropic of Cancer and the North Pole or between Tropic of Capricorn and the South Pole. 21st June is the longest day and it marks the shortest night in the northern hemisphere.
Multiple choice geography natural regions tundra regions tundra climatic region natural regions of the world

'During some days in the year the sun never rises while during some periods the sun never sets' can be experienced in which regions ___________.

  1. Monsoon region

  2. Savanna region

  3. Tundra region

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

The phenomenon of the midnight sun and polar nights is characteristic of high-latitude regions, specifically the Tundra or polar regions.

Multiple choice geography natural regions tundra regions tundra climatic region natural regions of the world

The sun begins to shine in the Tundra around _____.

  1. January-February

  2. February-March

  3. December-January

  4. November-December
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Tundra has cold and dry Climate. It is covered with snow and is very cold throughout the year. There is no sunshine in the winter season of the year, both days and nights are dark. In the month of February-March, the sun begins to shine. Sun shines for the whole day and night. This tundra region is also known as the land of the midnight sun. There are nearly six months' day and six months' night in the tundra region.

Multiple choice physics light and shadow elementary ideas of astronomy shadow formation and optical medium the solar system nature and sources of light how light travels

Lunar eclipse occurs when earth comes in between sun and the moon. Solar eclipse occurs when moon comes in between sun and earth. This suggests that:

  1. Both eclipses occur on a new moon day

  2. Solar eclipse occurs on a new moon day

  3. Lunar eclipse occurs on a new moon day

  4. Both eclipses occur on a full moon day
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and

Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun. This

can happen only at new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in

conjunction as seen from Earth in an alignment.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes

directly behind the Earth into its shadow. This can occur only

when the Sun, Earth, and Moon are aligned exactly, or very

closely so, with the Earth in the middle. Hence, a lunar eclipse can only occur the night of a full moon.

Multiple choice physics light and shadow elementary ideas of astronomy shadow formation and optical medium the solar system nature and sources of light how light travels

Lunar eclipse occurs when the

  1. Sun comes between the Earth and the Moon.

  2. Moon comes between the Earth and the Sun.

  3. Earth comes between the Moon and the Sun.

  4. the Earth and Moon collide with each other.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The Moon moves around the Earth and the Earth moves around the Sun. During their revolutions, when the Moon, the Earth and the Sun come into a straight line keeping the Earth in between the Moon and the Sun, the lunar eclipse takes place.

Multiple choice physics light and shadow elementary ideas of astronomy shadow formation and optical medium the solar system nature and sources of light how light travels

The partial or complete hiding of one heavenly body by shadow of another is called

  1. Ellipse

  2. Eclipse

  3. Asteriod

  4. None of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Eclipse is partial or complete hiding of one heavenly body by shadow of another.

Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse are two processes associated with earth, moon and sun.

Multiple choice physics light and shadow elementary ideas of astronomy shadow formation and optical medium the solar system nature and sources of light how light travels

When Earth comes in between Sun and Moon and casts its shadow on Moon. The ______ eclipse will occur.

  1. solar

  2. lunar

  3. either A or B

  4. none of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

During lunar eclipse, Earth comes between Sun and Moon in a straight line. The shadow of the Earth falls on the Moon and the Moon gets eclipsed.