General Awareness ยท Physics

Space Exploration and Astronomy

3,952 Questions

Review significant milestones in space exploration, including artificial satellites, reusable space shuttles, and historic lunar landings. This topic also covers astronomical phenomena and telescopic observations. Such scientific general knowledge is commonly tested in SSC, railways, and banking examinations.

Space shuttle missionsArtificial satellitesLunar and planetary landingsSpace telescopes and observatories

Space Exploration and Astronomy Questions

Multiple choice

Which space observatory is scheduled to be launched in 2039 and is designed to study ultraviolet and visible light emissions from celestial objects?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Chandra X-ray Observatory

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

  4. LUVOIR Space Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The LUVOIR Space Telescope (LST) is scheduled to be launched in 2039 and is designed to study ultraviolet and visible light emissions from celestial objects, such as stars, galaxies, and planets.

Multiple choice

Which space observatory is scheduled to be launched in 2045 and is designed to study the polarization of light from celestial objects?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Chandra X-ray Observatory

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

  4. Origins Space Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is scheduled to be launched in 2045 and is designed to study the polarization of light from celestial objects, such as stars, galaxies, and planets.

Multiple choice

Which space observatory is scheduled to be launched in 2050 and is designed to study X-ray emissions from celestial objects?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Chandra X-ray Observatory

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

  4. Lynx X-ray Observatory
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Lynx X-ray Observatory (LXO) is scheduled to be launched in 2050 and is designed to study X-ray emissions from celestial objects, such as black holes, neutron stars, and supernova remnants.

Multiple choice

Which space observatory is scheduled to be launched in 2055 and is designed to study infrared emissions from celestial objects?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Chandra X-ray Observatory

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

  4. HabEx Space Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The HabEx Space Telescope (HST) is scheduled to be launched in 2055 and is designed to study infrared emissions from celestial objects, such as star-forming regions, galaxies, and planets.

Multiple choice

Which space observatory is scheduled to be launched in 2060 and is designed to study ultraviolet and visible light emissions from celestial objects?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Chandra X-ray Observatory

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

  4. Starshade Space Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Starshade Space Telescope (SST) is scheduled to be launched in 2060 and is designed to study ultraviolet and visible light emissions from celestial objects, such as stars, galaxies, and planets.

Multiple choice

Which space observatory is scheduled to be launched in 2065 and is designed to study the polarization of light from celestial objects?

  1. Hubble Space Telescope

  2. Chandra X-ray Observatory

  3. Spitzer Space Telescope

  4. Origins Space Telescope
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The Origins Space Telescope (OST) is scheduled to be launched in 2065 and is designed to study the polarization of light from celestial objects, such as stars, galaxies, and planets.

Multiple choice

Which of the following is an example of a successful astronomy and public outreach initiative?

  1. The Hubble Space Telescope's stunning images of the universe

  2. The discovery of exoplanets and the search for life beyond Earth

  3. The International Space Station's continuous human presence in space

  4. All of the above
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

These examples showcase the power of astronomy and public outreach in capturing the public's imagination and highlighting the importance of scientific exploration.

Multiple choice

What is the most famous comet?

  1. Halley's Comet

  2. Hale-Bopp

  3. Shoemaker-Levy 9

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

Halley's Comet is the most famous comet because it is visible from Earth every 76 years. It was first observed in 240 BC and has been seen many times since then.

Multiple choice

What is the largest comet ever observed?

  1. Hale-Bopp

  2. Hyakutake

  3. Shoemaker-Levy 9

  4. Bernardinelli-Bernstein
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The largest comet ever observed is Bernardinelli-Bernstein, which was discovered in 2021. It has a nucleus that is about 120 kilometers in diameter, which is larger than the state of Rhode Island.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the spacecraft that landed on a comet?

  1. Rosetta

  2. New Horizons

  3. Voyager 1

  4. Cassini-Huygens
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

The Rosetta spacecraft was the first spacecraft to land on a comet. It landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko in 2014 and studied the comet for over two years.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the comet that collided with Jupiter in 1994?

  1. Shoemaker-Levy 9

  2. Hale-Bopp

  3. Hyakutake

  4. Bernardinelli-Bernstein
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Shoemaker-Levy 9 was a comet that collided with Jupiter in 1994. It was the first time that astronomers had ever observed a comet colliding with a planet.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the comet that is expected to pass close to Earth in 2023?

  1. Comet NEOWISE

  2. Comet ATLAS

  3. Comet SWAN

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

Comet Leonard is expected to pass close to Earth in 2023. It is expected to be visible to the naked eye for several months.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the comet that was discovered in 2020 and is expected to pass close to Earth in 2031?

  1. Comet NEOWISE

  2. Comet ATLAS

  3. Comet SWAN

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

Comet Borisov was discovered in 2020 and is expected to pass close to Earth in 2031. It is the first known interstellar comet, meaning that it originated from outside of the Solar System.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the comet that was discovered in 2021 and is expected to pass close to Earth in 2029?

  1. Comet NEOWISE

  2. Comet ATLAS

  3. Comet SWAN

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

Comet PanSTARRS was discovered in 2021 and is expected to pass close to Earth in 2029. It is expected to be visible to the naked eye for several months.

Multiple choice

What is the name of the comet that was discovered in 2022 and is expected to pass close to Earth in 2030?

  1. Comet NEOWISE

  2. Comet ATLAS

  3. Comet SWAN

  4. Comet K2
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Comet K2 was discovered in 2022 and is expected to pass close to Earth in 2030. It is expected to be visible to the naked eye for several months.