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 physics science in daily life introduction to science contribution of physics in technology and society physics in relation to other sciences

Raghu learnt something in school and he told his friends "An object can appear smaller or bigger in size depending on its distance from you. So, an elephant can look as small as a cat if it is far away."
Based on this, his friends said the following:
Kabir: "All stars are of the same size."
Raina: "All other stars are definitely smaller than the Sun."
Karen: "The Sun and the Moon are definitely of the same size.
"Shifa: "There could be a star which is bigger than the Moon."
Who is correct?

  1. Only Shifa.

  2. Only Raina.

  3. Only Kabir and Karen.

  4. Only Kabir and Raina.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The principle of perspective explains that objects appear smaller as they move further away. Shifa's statement that there could be a star bigger than the Moon is scientifically plausible, as many stars are much larger than the Moon, even if they appear as mere points of light due to their immense distance.

Multiple choice physics bharat and science introduction to science contribution of physics in technology and society physics in relation to other sciences

Which of the following phenomena will not be observed on the surface of the Moon ?

  1. Rising and setting of the Sun

  2. Solar eclipse

  3. Motion of comets

  4. Twinkling of stars
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Moon has no atmosphere to scatter light. Twinkling of stars is caused by the refraction of light through the Earth's atmosphere; therefore, it cannot be observed from the Moon.

Multiple choice newton's colour disc light and the formation of shadows physics

Rainbow is observed when the Sun is 

  1. In front of the observer

  2. Behind the observer

  3. Vertically above the observer

  4. In any of these position
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The sun is always behind the observer. This is because the rainbow is actually just sunlight which has been refracted and reflected.

Multiple choice evs - i our earth and our solar system asteroids, comets, and meteors and meteorites other objects in solar system asteroids, comets and meteors

Identify the true statement(s) for comets:

  1. Those are messengers of disaster

  2. Many comets appear after a fixed time interval

  3. Occurrance of comets is a natural phenomenon

  4. The tail of the comet is always directed towards the sun
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B,C Correct answer
Explanation

Occurance of comets is a natural phenomenon and there is nothing superstitious about it. Many comets appear after fixed time interval for example, Halley"s comet which appears once in every 76 years.

Multiple choice evs - i our earth and our solar system asteroids, comets, and meteors and meteorites other objects in solar system asteroids, comets and meteors

Comets revolve around the Sun:

  1. in a highly elliptical orbit

  2. along a circular orbit

  3. in an elliptical orbit

  4. varying orbit depending on the comet
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Comets revolve around the Sun in a highly elliptical orbit such that at one end of the orbit it is very far from the Sun and at the other end it is near to the Sun.

Multiple choice evs - i our earth and our solar system asteroids, comets, and meteors and meteorites other objects in solar system asteroids, comets and meteors

Identify the wrong statements for asteroids:

  1. Revolve around the Sun

  2. Separate inner and outer planets

  3. Can only be seen through any telescopes

  4. Asteroids are rock-like structures
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Asteroids are rock-like structures that occupy the huge gap between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. 

Those, too, revolve around the Sun in a similar orbit. 
Those form a belt like structure known as asteroid belt and the planets before the asteroid belt i.e., Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, are called inner planets. The planets that lie beyond the asteroids i.e., Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are called outer planets. 
Since the asteroids are smaller is size, those can only be seen through large and powerful telescopes, not through any telescope.

Multiple choice evs - i our earth and our solar system asteroids, comets, and meteors and meteorites other objects in solar system asteroids, comets and meteors

The tail of a comet always points__________ .

  1. towards the sun

  2. away from the sun

  3. towards north-east

  4. towards south-west
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The streams of dust and gas thus released from a huge extremely tenous atmosphere around the comet called coma and force exerted on coma by the sun's radiation pressure and solar wind cause an anormous tail form which points away from the sun

Multiple choice evs our solar system asteroids, comets, and meteors and meteorites other objects in solar system asteroids, comets and meteors

The meteors seldom reach the earth because of :

  1. freezing caused when they pass through the atmosphere

  2. vapourization caused when they pass through the atmosphere

  3. greater force of attraction towards sun

  4. greater force of attraction towards moon
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Meteors seldom reach earth because of vapourization caused when they pass the atmosphere.

Ans:  vapourization caused when they pass the atmosphere.

Multiple choice evs our solar system asteroids, comets, and meteors and meteorites other objects in solar system asteroids, comets and meteors

The tail of a comet is directed away from the sun because.

  1. The radiation emitted by the sun exerts a radial pressure on the comet throwing its tail away from the sun

  2. As the comet rotates, the lighter mass of the comet is attracted by some star situated in the direction of its tail

  3. As the comet rotates around the sun, the lighter mass of the comet is pushed away due to the centrifugal force alone

  4. The tail of the comet always exists in the same orientation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

As a comet approaches the sun, solar radiation pressure and the solar wind push the ionized gases and dust particles away from the sun, creating the characteristic tail.

Multiple choice physics the universe types of galaxies galaxies constellations

Cosmic or galactic year is :

  1. year in which a comet arrives.

  2. period taken by Earth to revolve around the Sun.

  3. year in which total solar eclipse occurs.

  4. period of Sun's revolution around galactic centre.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The galactic year, also known as a cosmic year, is the duration of time required for the solar system to orbit once around the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The length of one orbit range from 225 to 250 million terrestrial years.
The solar system is traveling at an average speed of 828,000 km/h or 514,000 mph within its trajectory around the galactic center, which is about one 1300th of the speed of light speed at which an object could circumnavigate the Earth's equator in 2 minutes and 54 seconds.

Multiple choice physics the universe types of galaxies galaxies constellations

The time taken by the Sun to revolve around the centre of our galaxy is:

  1. 25 million years

  2. 100 million years

  3. 250 million years

  4. 500 million years
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation
The galactic year, also known as a cosmic year, is the duration of time required for the solar system to orbit once around the center of the Milky Way galaxy. 
1 galactic year is almost equal to 250 million years.
Multiple choice physics effects of light eclipses elementary ideas of astronomy shadow formation and optical medium

What is known as an eclipse?

  1. Astronomical event when one celestial body partially or totally cover another celestial object

  2. Astronomical event when one celestial body cover another meteor

  3. Astronomical event when one meteor partially or totally cover another meteor

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

An eclipse is an event where one heavenly body compeletely or partially blocks the light from the other heavenly body.

Multiple choice physics effects of light eclipses elementary ideas of astronomy shadow formation and optical medium

Which type of eclipse is known when Earth, Moon and Sun doesn't align in straight line and Moon only partially covers sun?

  1. Total Solar Eclipse

  2. Partial Solar Eclipse

  3. Annular Solar Eclipse

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

When Moon is between the Sun and the Earth but doesn't align in a straight line results in a partial solar eclipse.

Partial Solar Eclipse is known when Earth, Moon and Sun doesn't align in straight line and Moon only partially covers sun.