1. Which among the following two gases contribute to the beginning of the formation of stars?
- Hydrogen & Nitrogen
- Hydrogen & Helium
- Hydrogen & Oxygen
- Nitrogen & Helium
Show Answer
Answer: Hydrogen & Helium
The formation of stars is explained by the Big Bang theory. The Big Bang produced hydrogen and helium, which are the primary elements that contributed to the formation of stars.
2. Which among the following is the Brightest star?
- Sirius
- Alpha Centauri
- Proxima Centauri
- Polaris
Show Answer
Answer: Sirius
Sirius is the brightest star, also known as the dog star or officially Alpha Canis Majoris. It is in the constellation Canis Major and is a binary star dominated by a luminous main sequence star, Sirius A.
3. Which among the following was the first comet to be observed by a manned spacecraft?
- Comet Kohoutek
- Halley’s Comet
- Comet Borrelly
- Kreutz Sungrazers
Show Answer
Answer: Comet Kohoutek
Comet Kohoutek was first sighted on 7 March 1973 by Czech astronomer Lubo? Kohoutek. It was observed by the crews of Skylab 4 and Soyuz 13, making it the first comet to be observed by a manned spacecraft.
4. The constellation in Indian Mythology called “Sapta Rishi” is coterminous with which among the following?
- Orion
- Scorpio
- Ursa Major
- Ursa Minor
Show Answer
Answer: Ursa Major
In ancient Indian astronomy, the asterism of the Big Dipper, which is part of the constellation of Ursa Major, is called Saptarishi. It has 7 stars representing seven rishis.
5. Next to the sun, which is the nearest star to the earth?
- Alpha Centauri
- Orion
- Ursa Major
- Sirius
Show Answer
Answer: Alpha Centauri
The sun is nearly 150,000,000 kilometres (150 million km) away from the Earth. The next nearest star to the earth is Alpha Centauri, which is at a distance of about 4.367 light-years from the Earth.
6. Expanding Universe hypothesis is also known as:
- Nebular theory
- Big Bang theory
- Steady state theory
- None of the above
Show Answer
Answer: Big Bang theory
The Big Bang theory talks about the expanding universe. The model describes how the universe expanded from an initial state of extremely high density and high temperature.
7. Which of the following is the value of the Hubble constant?
- 73 kilometres per second per megaparsec
- 75 kilometres per second per megaparsec
- 77 kilometres per second per megaparsec
- 69 kilometres per second per megaparsec
Show Answer
Answer: 73 kilometres per second per megaparsec
The Hubble constant represents the expansion rate of the universe. Currently, the best-measured value of the Hubble constant is about 73 kilometres per second per megaparsec.
8. What is the index of refraction for a perfect vacuum?
- 0
- 1
- 1.5
- 0.5
Show Answer
Answer: 2. (1)
The index of refraction for perfect vacuum is 1. Light can change speed and direction when it goes through different materials. All materials that transmit light have a property called the index of refraction.
9. Theory of special relativity was developed by:
- Einstein
- Newton
- Galileo
- Laplace
Show Answer
Answer: Einstein
Einstein proposed the theory of special relativity in the year 1905, which includes the famous equation E=mc?.
10. Who among the following formulated Nebular theory?
- Laplace
- Newton
- Kepler
- Ptolemy
Show Answer
Answer: Laplace
Nebular theory was formulated by Laplace, which describes the formation of the Sun and solar system.
Q11: What name has been given to the places around and between two gravitationally bound bodies where a third object could stay stationary relative to the other two?
1. Lagrangian point
2. Ephemeris
3. Lissajous
4. Apside
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Lagrange points are positions in space where the combined gravitational forces of two large bodies, such as Earth and the Sun or Earth and the Moon, equal the centrifugal force felt by a much smaller third body. These points are named after Joseph-Louis Lagrange, an 18th-century mathematician. There are 5 such points between Earth and the Sun, namely – L1, L2, L3, L4, and L5. In these orbits, a satellite requires very little energy to maintain its orbit, and it will not be eclipsed from the Sun.
Q12: A cataclysmic nuclear explosion caused by the accretion of hydrogen onto the surface of a white dwarf star would be termed as?
1. Nova
2. Nebula
3. Neutron star
4. Pulsar
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: A nova is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently new star, which slowly fades over time. It is caused by a nuclear explosion, resulting from the accretion of hydrogen onto the surface of a white dwarf.
Q13: The positions of the star Polaris, which lies approximately at the north pole of the earth, change slowly due to which among the following movements of the earth?
1. Rotation
2. Axial precession
3. Orbital Revolution
4. Plate Tectonics
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: The precession of the Earth’s axis has a number of observable effects. One of them is that the positions of the south and north celestial poles appear to move in circles against the space-fixed backdrop of stars, completing one circuit in 25,772 Julian years (2000 rate). Thus, while today the star Polaris lies approximately at the north celestial pole, this will change over time, and other stars will become the north star.
Q14: What is the approximate diameter of the Milky Way?
1. 1000 light years
2. 10000 light years
3. 100000 light years
4. 1000000 Light Years
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy approximately 100,000-120,000 light-years in diameter, containing 200-400 billion stars.
Q15: Which among the following is the major objective of NASA’s Kepler mission?
1. To search for habitable planets
2. To search for Earth-like planets
3. To search for alien life
4. To search for potentially dangerous objects in space
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: The Kepler Mission is specifically designed to survey the Milky Way galaxy to discover hundreds of Earth-size and smaller planets. It aims to find out the habitable zone and determine the fraction of the hundreds of billions of stars in our galaxy that might have such planets.
Q16: During which of the following events, the distance between the Sun and Earth is maximum?
1. Aphelion
2. Perihelion
3. Summer Solstice
4. Winter Solstice
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Earth is closest to the sun (perihelion) around 3rd January and farthest from the sun (aphelion) around 4th July.
Q17: Which among the following is a galaxy?
1. Sirius
2. Orion
3. Ursa Minor
4. Andromeda
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: The Andromeda is a galaxy, also known as Messier 31, M31, or NGC 224, and originally the Andromeda Nebula. It is approximately 2.5 million light-years from Earth and the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way.
Q18: Astronomical unit (AU) is a unit of length equal to about?
1. 100 Million Kms
2. 150 Million Kms
3. 100 Billion Kms
4. 150 Billion Kms
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: An Astronomical Unit (AU) is the average distance between Earth and the Sun. 1 Astronomical unit (AU) is a unit of length equal to 150 Million Kms.
Q19: The colour of a star indicates its:
1. Distance
2. Luminosity
3. Mass
4. Temperature
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: The colour of a star indicates its Temperature. The colour of fire indicates the temperature, so a star’s colour is proportional to its Temperature.
Q20: A star at which among the following locations would appear to twinkle more than others normally?
1. Straight up in the Observer’s line of sight
2. Stars closer to the horizon
3. Stars closer to the poles
4. None of them
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Stars seem to twinkle or change their brightness all the time. In fact, most stars shine with steady light. The movement of air (sometimes called turbulence) in the Earth’s atmosphere causes the starlight to get slightly bent as it travels from the distant star through the atmosphere to us on the ground. Some of the light reaches us directly, but some gets bent slightly, giving the illusion of twinkling. Stars closer to the horizon appear to twinkle more than others. This is because the atmosphere is a lot denser near the horizon than between the Earth and a star higher in the sky.
Q21: According to current estimates, what is the age of the Universe?
1. 8.6 Billion Years
2. 10.8 Billion Years
3. 12.5 billion Years
4. 13.7 Billion Years
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: According to modern astronomical measurements, the universe began to exist about 13.7 billion years ago.
Q22: Who propounded the Big Bang Theory?
1. Dr. Allen Sundes
2. Thomas Gold
3. Abbé Georges Lemaître
4. Herman Bondy
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Abbe Georges Lemaitre, a Belgian astronomer and cosmologist, proposed the Big Bang Theory, which explains the origin of the Universe.
Q23: What is the study of the Universe known as?
1. Spectrology
2. Cosmogony
3. Cosmology
4. Astrochemistry
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Cosmology is the study of the origin and evolution of the universe. The word cosmology is made up of two words, cosmos (Universe) and logos (science).
Q24: Which of the following pairs of theories of the Universe and their propounders is/are correctly matched?
1. Steady State Theory – Thomas Gold and Herman Bondy
2. Big Bang Theory – Abbe Georges Lemaitre
3. Pulsating Universe Theory – Lord Kelvin
Select the correct option from the codes given below:
1. Only 2
2. Only 1 & 3
3. 1, 2 & 3
4. Only 1 & 2
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: The Pulsating Universe Theory is propounded by Dr. Allen Sundes. According to this theory, the universe follows a self-sustaining cycle by alternately expanding and contracting.
Q25: Who gave the Theory of the Expanding Universe?
1. Newton
2. Edwin Hubble
3. Alexander Von Humboldt
4. Kepler
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: The Expanding Universe Theory is based on the observation of Edwin Hubble. According to Hubble, the Universe, which exists today, is still expanding, though at a slower speed.
Q26: The Steady State Theory is related to which of the following?
1. Plate Tectonics
2. Evolution of Atmosphere
3. Formation of Universe
4. Diastrophism
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: The Steady State theory is an alternative to the Big Bang Theory of the evolution of the universe. According to the Steady State theory, although the universe is expanding, it does not change its look over time.
Q27: The phenomenon of which shift explains that the universe is expanding?
1. Blue
2. Red
3. Green
4. Yellow
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: The phenomenon of Red Shift explains how light changes as objects in space, such as stars, move. It is an important concept to explain the process of the expansion of the universe.
Q28: Who is known as the Father of Cosmology?
1. Aryabhatta
2. Acharya Kapila
3. Copernicus
4. Edwin Hubble
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Acharya Kapila, famously known as the founder of Sankhya Philosophy, contributed to the science of cosmology. According to him, Prakruti, with the motivation of Purusha, is the mother of all cosmic creation. At the same time, some in the West consider Anaximander as the father of Cosmology
Q29: Which is the most abundant element in the universe?
1. Nitrogen
2. Helium
3. Hydrogen
4. Oxygen
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Hydrogen is the simplest element and the most abundant in the universe. Hydrogen makes up 75% of all the matter in the universe. Hydrogen is followed by helium, oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, etc.
Q30: The Heliocentric model of Copernicus proposed that ____:
1. Earth revolves around Sun
2. Universe revolves around the Sun
3. Sun revolves around Earth
4. Sun rotates on its own axis
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: The Heliocentric model means that the Sun is at the Center. According to this model, the universe revolves around the Sun. This model was put forth by Copernicus.
Q31: The Lambda-CDM Model is related to which of the following?
1. Oceanology
2. Geology
3. Cosmology
4. Climatology
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Lambda Cold Dark Matter or Lambda (CDM) model is a standard model of Big Bang cosmology which explains that the universe is predominantly cold and dark matter with a cosmological constant.
Q32: What does a Light year measure?
1. Light
2. Time
3. Intensity of light
4. Distance
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: A light year is a unit of distance. It is used to measure the distance that light travels in one year.
Q33: What is the Pulsating theory of the Universe related to?
1. Expansion of the Universe
2. Steady state of the universe
3. Collapse of the universe
4. Alternate expansion and contraction of the universe
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: The pulsating universe theory follows a self-sustaining cycle of expanding and contracting. It states that after the universe has contracted to a certain size, it again starts expanding.
Q34: One parsec is equal to how many light years?
1. 2.36 light years
2. 5.26 light years
3. 3.26 light years
4. 6.26 light years
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Parsec is the largest distance in science. It is used to measure distant stars and the large-scale structure of the universe. 1 parsec is equivalent to 3.26 light years.
Q35: Who among the following proposed the Cosmic Inflation theory?
1. Alan Guth
2. Thomas Gold
3. Fred Hoyle
4. Immanuel Kant
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: The Cosmic inflation theory is proposed by Alan Guth. According to this theory, the universe after the Big Bang event expanded very rapidly- much faster than the speed of light. And a fraction of a second later this expansion slowed down, the universe continued to expand, but at a much slower rate.
Q36: Which cosmologist is not associated with the Steady State theory of the universe?
1. Hermann Bondi
2. Thomas Chamberlin
3. Sir Fred Hoyle
4. Thomas Gold
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: The Steady State theory is an alternative to the Big Bang theory of the evolution of the universe. This theory is proposed by Herman Bondi, Thomas Gold, and Sir Fred Hoyle. According to this theory, the universe, though expanding, does not change its look over time.
Q37: Which ancient astronomer made the first attempt to create a heliocentric model of the universe?
1. Aristarchus of Samos
2. Claudius Ptolemaeus
3. Aristotle
4. Eudoxus of Cnidus
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Aristarchus of Samos, a Greek astronomer, made the first attempt to create a heliocentric model of the universe. He places the sun at the centre, while the Earth revolves around the Sun in a circular path.
Q38: Cosmology as the branch of science is related to the study of which of the following?
1. Formation of Galaxies
2. Formation of the Universe
3. Formation of the Planets
4. Formation of the Stars
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Cosmology is the branch of astronomy dealing with the study of the origin of the universe and its development.
Q39: The Hubble Constant is based on which of the following?
1. Green shift
2. Yellow shift
3. Red shift
4. Black shift
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Hubble’s constant is used to explain the galactic expansion rate. According to Hubble, the star moving away from us will have its spectra shift towards the red end. And the star moving towards us will have its spectra shift towards the blue end of the spectrum.
Q40: What is the diameter of the observable universe?
1. 46.5 billion light years
2. 28.5 billion light years
3. 93 billion light years
4. 65 billion light years
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: The diameter of the universe is 93 billion light years and its radius is 46.5 billion light years.
Q41: Who is known as the father of observational Astronomy?
1. Nicolaus Copernicus
2. Johannes Kepler
3. Galileo Galilei
4. Ptolemy
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Galileo, the father of science and observational astronomy, expanded man’s understanding of various phenomena of the universe. He is also known as the father of modern physics.
Q42: 1 Astronomical Unit (AU) is equal to how many kilometres?
1. 100 million km
2. 250 million km
3. 200 million km
4. 150 million km
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: An Astronomical Unit is the unit of length. It is the mean distance between the Sun and the Earth. One AU is equal to 150 million km.
Q43: Which is the earliest stage of the Big Bang epoch?
1. Planck epoch
2. Unification epoch
3. Inflationary epoch
4. Electroweak epoch
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Planck epoch is the time immediately after the Big Bang that lasted for one Planck second. It is the earliest stage of the Big Bang.
Q44: Who coined the term ‘Big Bang’?
1. Sir Fred Hoyle
2. Georges Lemaitre
3. George Gamow
4. Hermann Bondi
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: English astronomer Sir Fred Hoyle is credited with coining the term Big Bang during a talk for a March 1949 BBC Radio broadcast. It is important to note that the Big Bang theory was proposed by Georges Lemaitre but the term was coined by Fred Hoyle.
Q45: Which is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way?
1. Dwarf Galaxy
2. Whirlpool Galaxy
3. Andromeda Galaxy
4. Sombrero Galaxy
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Andromeda Galaxy is the nearest major Galaxy to the Milky Way. It is a spiral galaxy approximately 1.2 million light years away from the Milky Way Galaxy.
Q46: Who among the following gave an extensive classification of galaxies?
1. Edwin Hubble
2. Carl Sawer
3. Alexander Von Humboldt
4. Ratzel
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Edwin Hubble gave an extensive classification of galaxies. He grouped them into four classes namely: spiral, barred spiral, elliptical, and irregular.
Q47: What is the shape of the Milky Way Galaxy?
1. Shell-shaped
2. Barred spiral-shaped
3. Elliptical-shaped
4. Irregular-shaped
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: The Milky Way Galaxy is categorised as a barred spiral disc Galaxy. The Milky Way Galaxy is the home of the Earth and our Solar system.
Q48: Which of the following is correct about Orion?
1. Galaxy
2. Largest star
3. Farthest planet
4. Constellation
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: Orion constellation is one of the brightest constellations recognizable in the night sky. It is located on the celestial equator.
Q49: What is the approximate number of stars in the Milky Way?
1. 40 billion
2. 10 billion
3. 100-400 million
4. 100-400 billion
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: The Milky Way is estimated to contain approximately 100-400 billion stars.
Q50: Which of the following is the hottest star colour?
1. Red
2. Yellow
3. Orange
4. Blue
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: The colour of the star reflects its temperature. Since the wavelength of blue is minimum, its temperature is maximum (Wein’s displacement law).
Q51: Which is the largest constellation in the sky?
1. Virgo
2. Ursa Major
3. Ophiuchus
4. Hydra
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: There are 88 standard constellations. Among them, Hydra is the largest. Followed by Virgo and Ursa Major.
Q52: Which among the following is not a disc-shaped Galaxy?
1. Elliptical Galaxy
2. Spiral galaxy
3. Barred spiral galaxy
4. Lenticular Galaxy
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: A disc-shaped galaxy has a large bulge in the centre with spiral arms travelling around. Elliptical Galaxy is not disc-shaped.
Q53: A star begins its life in a cloud of dust and gas. What is this cloud called?
1. Pulsar
2. Neutron
3. Constellation
4. Nebula
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: A star begins its life in a cloud of gas and dust. This cloud is called a nebula.
Q54: The Big Dipper or the Plough is in which constellation?
1. Aquarius
2. Ursa Major
3. Ursa Minor
4. Polaris
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: The Big Dipper or Plough is part of a bigger constellation called the Ursa Major or the Big Bear.
Q55: The Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram, a graphical tool is used to classify which of the following?
1. Stars
2. Planets
3. Galaxies
4. Volcanoes
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram is used by astronomers to classify stars based on their luminosity, temperature, spectral type, and colour.
Q56: What is parsec used to measure?
1. Speed
2. Velocity
3. Distance
4. Time
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: A Parsec is a PARallax of one arcSECond. It is a unit of distance used in astronomy to measure the vastness of space and is equal to about 3.26 light years.
Q57: Which is the nearest star to the Sun?
1. Ross 248
2. Wolf 359
3. Sirius
4. Proxima Centauri
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: Proxima Centauri is the nearest star from the Sun. It is inside the Alpha Centauri tri-star system.
Q58: Which constellation is known as the Great Bear?
1. Canis Major
2. Corona Borealis
3. Ursa Major
4. Hercules
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Ursa Major also known as the Great Bear lies in the northern sky. It is visible in the northern hemisphere throughout the year. The little bear is known as the Ursa Minor.
Q59: Who discovered the first pulsar?
1. Edwin Hubble
2. Galileo Galilei
3. Fred Hoyle
4. Jocelyn Bell
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: A pulsar is a highly magnetised, rotating neutron star which emits a beam of electromagnetic radiation. Jocelyn Bell discovered the first pulsar in 1967.
Q60: Which is the brightest star in the Earth’s sky?
1. Omega
2. Sirius
3. Pulsar
4. Beta
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Sirius, also known as the ‘Dog star’ is the brightest star in the Earth’s sky. It is part of the constellation Canis Major.
Q61: What is the distance of the star Proxima Centauri from the planet Earth?
1. 4.2 light years
2. 5.4 light years
3. 420 light years
4. 8.6 light years
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Proxima Centauri is the nearest star to our planet at around 4.243 light years away, which is about 40 trillion km.
Q62: Which star is the coolest based on colour?
1. Blue
2. Yellow
3. Red
4. Orange
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: The colour of the star measures its temperature. The red star is the coolest, and blue is the hottest based on Wien’s displacement law.
Q63: What is the diameter of the Milky Way?
1. 30,000 light years
2. 10,000 light years
3. 1,20,000 light years
4. 20,00,000 light years
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy with a diameter of 1,20,000 light years. It is estimated to contain 100-400 billion planets.
Q64: How many constellations are recognized by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) currently?
1. 120
2. 88
3. 50
4. 108
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Currently, there are 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union. Some of them include Andromeda, Antlia, Apus, Aquarius, Aquila, Ara, Aries, Auriga, Boötes, Caelum, Camelopardalis, Cancer, Canes Venatici, Canis Major, Canis Minor, Capricornus, Carina, Cassiopeia, Centaurus, Cepheus, Cetus, Chamaeleon, Circinus, Columba, Coma Berenices, Corona Australis, Corona Borealis, Corvus, Crater, Crux, Cygnus, Delphinus, Dorado, Draco, Equuleus, Eridanus, Fornax, Gemini, Grus, Hercules, Horologium, Hydra, Hydrus, Indus, Lacerta, Leo, Leo Minor, Lepus, Libra, Lupus, Lynx, Lyra, Mensa, Microscopium, Monoceros, Musca, Norma, Octans, Ophiuchus, Orion, Pavo, Pegasus, Perseus, Phoenix, Pictor, Pisces, Piscis Austrinus, Puppis, Pyxis, Reticulum, Sagitta, Sagittarius, Scorpius, Sculptor, Scutum, Serpens, Sextans, Taurus, Telescopium, Triangulum, Triangulum Australe, Tucana, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Vela, Virgo, Volans, and Vulpecula.
Q65: Which among the following Galaxies is also known as Messier 31?
1. Milky Way galaxy
2. Pinwheel galaxy
3. Andromeda galaxy
4. Sombrero galaxy
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Andromeda Galaxy is also known as Messier 31. It is a barred spiral galaxy. Andromeda is the nearest major galaxy to the Milky Way.
Q66: 1 Parsec is equal to how many light years?
1. 2.362
2. 6.232
3. 3.262
4. 2.632
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: The term parsec is a combination of two words, parallax (par) and arc second (sec). It is used extensively in astronomical measurements. 1 parsec is equal to 3.262 light years.
Q67: Stars are mainly composed of which two elements?
1. Nitrogen and Oxygen
2. Oxygen and Hydrogen
3. Nitrogen and Helium
4. Helium and Hydrogen
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: Stars are luminous spheres of plasma held together by their own gravity. They are primarily composed of Hydrogen and Helium.
Q68: Which among the following galaxies looks like a flattened ball?
1. Irregular galaxy
2. Spiral galaxy
3. Elliptical galaxy
4. Spiral barred galaxy
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Elliptical galaxies look like a round or flattened ball. They contain little gas and dust between the stars. Elliptical galaxies are often described as taking on the shape of a football.
Q69: Which among the following is a constellation in the southern sky?
1. Draco
2. Indus
3. Ursa Minor
4. Gemini
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Indus is a constellation in the southern sky. The name of the constellation means the Indian, and it is illustrated as a man holding arrows without a bow.
Q70: Which is the biggest type of a star among the following?
1. White Dwarf
2. Super Giants
3. Red Giants
4. Blue Giants
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Supergiants are among the biggest stars. They have an enormous size and are the largest stars in the Universe. They are 500 – 1000 times bigger than the Sun.
Q71: Which type of a star is the Sun?
1. Main sequence
2. Red Giant
3. Blue Giant
4. White Dwarf
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Our Sun is the G-type main sequence, yellow dwarf star. The main sequence is the type of star which fuses hydrogen atoms to form helium atoms in its core.
Q72: Which of the following devices is used to measure the diameter of stars?
1. Barometer
2. Interferometer
3. Photometer
4. Viscometer
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Interferometer is used in astronomy to measure the diameters of stars. It was invented in the late 19th century by Albert Michelson.
Q73: Which among the following stars is also known as pulsar?
1. Neutron Star
2. White Dwarf
3. Massive Star
4. Red Giant
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Pulsars are a type of neutron star having a strong magnetic field and are spinning rapidly. They are a source of rapid and regular pulses of electromagnetic radiation.
Q74: Which among the following is the last stage in the life cycle of a star?
1. Super giant
2. Black hole
3. Supernova
4. White Dwarf
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: A white dwarf is the evolutionary stage of the life cycle of the star when it has exhausted all its fusible fuel and the mass.
Q75: Which among the following stars is also known as the Fossil Star?
1. Super giant
2. Protostar
3. Red Giant
4. White Dwarf
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: The White Dwarf star is also known as the Fossil Star. White Dwarfs are the final stage of almost all the stars.
Q76: What is the plot of the temperature of many stars against their luminosities known as?
1. Hertzsprung-Russell diagram
2. Colour-Magnitude plot
3. Color-Color plot
4. Radar chart
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: The Hertzsprung-Russell diagram or the H-R diagram graphs a star’s luminosity vs. its surface temperature. It graphs the stars’ apparent luminosity vs. their colour index.
Q77: The White Dwarf is characterised by which of the following?
1. Low luminosity and low temperature
2. Low luminosity and high temperature
3. High luminosity and high temperature
4. High luminosity and low temperature
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: White Dwarf is characterised by low luminosity but a high temperature. White Dwarfs are the leftover remains of a red giant that ran out of fuel.
Q78: Which of the following arrangements of stars is correct if sequenced from the coolest to the hottest?
1. White-yellow-red-orange-blue
2. Blue-white-yellow-orange-red
3. Red-orange-yellow-white-blue
4. Yellow-orange-red-blue-white
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: A star’s colour tells us how hot the star is. The blue star is the hottest, and the red star is the coolest. The correct sequence is Red-orange-yellow-white-blue.
Q79: Which among the following is a young star?
1. Protostar
2. White Dwarf
3. Red Giant
4. Blue Giant
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: A protostar is a very young star, representing an early stage in the formation of a star. A protostar has only 1% of its final mass.
Q80: Which star is directly above the North Pole?
1. Polaris
2. Sirius
3. Vega
4. Capella
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Polaris star is directly above the North Pole. Earth rotates around this point, so Polaris does not appear to move in the sky.
Q81: Which astronomer developed the concept of classifying stars according to their brightness?
1. Hipparchus
2. Copernicus
3. Edwin Hubble
4. Galileo Galilei
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Hipparchus developed the concept of classifying the stars according to their brightness. According to him, 1st magnitude stars are the brightest while the 6th magnitude stars are the weakest.
Q82: Which of the following is used to measure the chemical composition of stars?
1. Spectroscope
2. Interferometer
3. Astronomical Unit
4. Barometer
Show Answer
Answer: 1
Explanation: Spectroscope is used to measure the chemical composition of the stars. It is also used to measure the temperature and direction of the star moving in relation to the Earth.
Q83: What is a neutron star that spins and sends beams of radiation called?
1. Quasar
2. Pulsar
3. White Dwarf
4. Red Giant
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: A neutron star is a star that has collapsed to a point where all particles are neutrons. A neutron star that spins and sends beams of radiation is called a pulsar.
Q84: What is the longest stage for any star?
1. Super Giant
2. Red Giant
3. Protostar
4. Main Sequence
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: All stars go through a main sequence stage. The stars remain in the main sequence stage longer than in any other stages.
Q85: What kind of stars form a Supernova?
1. Small mass stars
2. Medium mass stars
3. Large mass stars
4. None of the above
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Only large mass stars form a Supernova. A Supernova is a gigantic explosion in which a massive star collapses. It occurs when a massive star uses up its fuel source.
Q86: What kind of stars skip the red giant/supergiant phase altogether?
1. Large mass stars
2. Medium mass stars
3. Small mass stars
4. Neutron star
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: Small mass stars go straight from their main sequence to white dwarf. They skip the red giant/supergiant phase altogether.
Q87: How many times larger would our sun have to be to supernova?
1. 100 solar masses
2. 2 solar masses
3. 8 solar masses
4. 20 solar masses
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: It takes a star at least 8 solar masses to be massive enough to supernova. Therefore our Sun has to be at least 8 times as large as it is now.
Q88: What kinds of stars are smaller than Earth?
1. Super giants
2. Blue giants
3. Red giant
4. White Dwarf
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: White Dwarfs are smaller than the Earth. A white dwarf is a small hot star that is a leftover centre of an older star. They can shine for billions of years before they extinguish.
Q89: Which of the following pairs of star colours and the temperature associated is/are correctly matched?
1. Red Stars – more than 15000 degrees Celsius
2. Blue Stars – 3000 degrees Celsius
3. Yellow stars – 5000 degrees Celsius
4. Only A & C
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: The colour of the star determines its temperature. Red stars are the coolest stars (approx 3000 degrees Celsius). The blue stars are the hottest stars, i.e., more than 15000 degrees Celsius. Our sun is a yellow star with a temperature ranging from 5500 – 6000 degrees Celsius.
Q90: The Betelgeuse star is located in which constellation?
1. Sirius
2. Orion
3. Lyra
4. Ursa Major
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: The Betelgeuse star is located in the constellation Orion. It is a Supergiant star. Its diameter is larger than the diameter of Jupiter’s orbit around the Sun.
Q91: What is the name of the first white dwarf to be discovered?
1. Eridani B
2. Betelgeuse
3. Procyon B
4. Sirius B
Show Answer
Answer: 4
Explanation: Sirius B is the first White Dwarf discovered by astronomer Alvan Clark. Sirius B is the dense companion star to Sirius.
Q92: Which of the following is the earliest stage in the life of a star?
1. Neutron star
2. Protostar
3. Supergiant
4. Supernova
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: All stars begin as a nebula which is a large amount of gas and dust. Gravity pulls some of the gas and dust together. This contracting cloud is the protostar, the earliest stage in the life of a star.
Q93: The life cycle of a star is determined by which of the following?
1. Brightness
2. Colour
3. Mass
4. Age
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: A star’s life cycle is determined by its mass. The larger the mass of a star, the shorter its life cycle.
Q94: What is the name of the oldest star in the Universe?
1. Sirius B
2. Vega
3. Methuselah
4. Betelgeuse
Show Answer
Answer: 3
Explanation: The Methuselah star, HD 140283, is the oldest star in the universe. It is currently estimated to be 13.82 billion years old.
Q95: Who compiled the first star catalogue in Greek astronomy?
1. Aristotle
2. Aristillus
3. Ptolemy
4. Copernicus
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Aristillus, a Greek astronomer, created the first star catalogue in the western world in the 3rd century BC. In this star catalogue, the stars are identified by numerical measurements of their positions.
Q96: What is the phenomenon of apparent shift in the position of a nearby star against the background of a distant object called?
1. Astronomical Unit
2. Stellar parallax
3. Kuiper belt
4. Oort cloud
Show Answer
Answer: 2
Explanation: Stellar parallax is a displacement in the apparent position of an object viewed along two different lines of sight. It is measured by the angle or semi-angle of inclination between those two lines.
