General Awareness ยท Physics

Indian Observatories and Astronomy

2,525 Questions

Indian observatories and astronomy questions cover national research institutions, space telescopes, radio telescopes, and historic astronomical events. These facts are highly relevant for the general awareness section of UPSC and state PSC exams. Solve these questions to memorize key observatories and their specific functions.

Optical telescopes in IndiaRadio telescopes IndiaAstronomical research institutesSpace observatory missions

Indian Observatories and Astronomy Questions

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Canary Islands of Spain and is home to the Gran Telescopio Canarias, the largest optical telescope in the world?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Gran Telescopio Canarias
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Gran Telescopio Canarias is located in the Canary Islands of Spain and is home to the Gran Telescopio Canarias, the largest optical telescope in the world.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), a radio telescope array?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Atacama Large Millimeter Array
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Atacama Large Millimeter Array is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), a radio telescope array that is used to study the universe at millimeter wavelengths.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Very Large Telescope (VLT), a set of four 8.2-meter telescopes?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Gran Telescopio Canarias
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Very Large Telescope is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Very Large Telescope (VLT), a set of four 8.2-meter telescopes that are used to study the universe in visible and infrared light.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Subaru Telescope, an 8.2-meter optical and infrared telescope?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Gran Telescopio Canarias
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

Subaru Telescope is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Subaru Telescope, an 8.2-meter optical and infrared telescope that is used to study the universe in visible and infrared light.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Gemini South telescope, an 8-meter optical and infrared telescope?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

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

Gemini South is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Gemini South telescope, an 8-meter optical and infrared telescope that is used to study the universe in visible and infrared light.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO), a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research, including the 4-meter Blanco Telescope and the 1.5-meter Swope Telescope.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Las Campanas Observatory, a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Las Campanas Observatory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Las Campanas Observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research, including the 6.5-meter Magellan Telescopes and the 2.5-meter du Pont Telescope.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the European Southern Observatory (ESO), a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. European Southern Observatory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

European Southern Observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research, including the Very Large Telescope and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the National Optical Astronomy Observatory (NOAO), a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. National Optical Astronomy Observatory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

National Optical Astronomy Observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research, including the 4-meter Mayall Telescope and the 2.1-meter Kitt Peak National Observatory.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Carnegie Institution for Science, a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Carnegie Institution for Science
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Carnegie Institution for Science is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research, including the 6.5-meter Magellan Telescopes and the 2.5-meter du Pont Telescope.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research, including the 6.5-meter Magellan Telescopes and the 2.5-meter du Pont Telescope.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the University of Arizona, a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. University of Arizona
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

University of Arizona is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research, including the 6.5-meter Magellan Telescopes and the 2.5-meter du Pont Telescope.

Multiple choice

Which observatory is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to the University of California, a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research?

  1. Paranal Observatory

  2. Very Large Telescope

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. University of California
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

University of California is located in the Atacama Desert of Chile and is home to a collection of telescopes used for astronomical research, including the 6.5-meter Magellan Telescopes and the 2.5-meter du Pont Telescope.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the astronomical observatory built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in the 18th century?

  1. Jantar Mantar

  2. Ujjain Observatory

  3. Nalanda Observatory

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

The Jantar Mantar is a collection of architectural astronomical instruments built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in various cities across India, including Delhi, Jaipur, Ujjain, and Varanasi.

Multiple choice

What is the largest optical telescope currently in operation?

  1. Gran Telescopio Canarias

  2. Keck Telescopes

  3. Subaru Telescope

  4. Very Large Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC) is the largest optical telescope in operation, with a primary mirror diameter of 10.4 meters.