Wayground logo

Free Printable Worksheets

Font size

S
M
L
XL
Worksheets

Astronomy Review

Total questions: 30

Worksheet time: 3600secs

Name
Class
Date
1.

Base your answer on the diagram. It shows twelve constellations that are visible in the night sky. Different positions of Earth are represented by letters A through D. The arrows represent the direction of Earth's motion around the Sun.


The constellations observed when Earth is at position A are different from the constellations observed when Earth is at position C because

a)

Earth moves in its orbit

b)

Earth is tilted on its axis

c)

the lengths of day and night are different

d)

the stars move around Earth as shown by star trails

2.

How would a three-hour time exposure photograph of stars in the northern sky appear if the Earth did not rotate?

a)
b)
c)
d)
3.

Which statement best supports the idea that the Earth rotates on its axis?

a)

The stars appear to follow circular paths across the sky.

b)

The apparent size of the Sun changes throughout the year.

c)

The length of the day and night varies throughout the year.

d)

The seasons (spring, summer, fall, and winter) repeat in a cyclic manner.

4.

Which kind of model of the solar system is represented by the diagram?

a)

heliocentric model

b)

geocentric model

c)

sidereal model

d)

lunar model

5.

Which statement best describes a geocentric model of our solar system?

a)

The Earth is located at the center of the

model.

b)

All planets revolve around the Sun.

c)

The Sun is located at the center of the model.

d)

All planets except the Earth revolve around

the Sun.

6.

Why does the Sun generally appear to rise in the east, move across the sky, and set in the west each day?

a)

Earth revolves around the Sun.

b)

The Sun rotates on its axis.

c)

Earth rotates on its axis.

d)

The Sun revolves around Earth.

7.

The cartoon characters are watching the Sun set. Toward which general direction are the characters looking?

a)

north

b)

south

c)

east

d)

west

8.

How long does Earth take to complete one orbit around the Sun?

a)

1 day

b)

1 month

c)

1 year

d)

1 decade

9.

The day and the year, as units of time, are based upon motions of

a)

the Earth

b)

the Moon

c)

the Sun

d)

distant stars

10.

Summer days in North America are likely to be hotter than winter days because in summer

a)

Earth is closer to the Sun

b)

the number of sunspots increases

c)

Earth’s northern axis is tilted toward the Sun

d)

the Sun gives off more energy

11.

The motions of comets and asteroids in our solar system are predictable because they are

a)

smaller than planets

b)

nearly spherical in shape

c)

in orbit around the Sun

d)

controlled by Earth's gravity

12.

For which planet is the length of the planet's day longer than the planet's year?

a)

Mercury

b)

Venus

c)

Earth

d)

Mars

13.

Our Sun located at the center of our solar system is

a)

a planet

b)

a star

c)

an asteroid

d)

a galaxy

14.

Three planets that are relatively large, gaseous, and of low density are

a)

Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn

b)

Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune

c)

Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus

d)

Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus

15.

The actual orbits of the planets are

a)

elliptical, with Earth at one of the foci

b)

elliptical, with the Sun at one of the foci

c)

circular, with Earth at the center

d)

circular, with the Sun at the center

16.

Which of the following scientists would be most interested in a meteor?

a)

astronomer

b)

biologist

c)

computer engineer

d)

nuclear physicist

17.

Which planet has vast amounts of liquid water at its surface?

a)

Venus

b)

Mars

c)

Jupiter

d)

Earth

18.

A belt of asteroids is located between which two planets?

a)

Mars and Jupiter

b)

Mars and Earth

c)

Jupiter and Saturn

d)

Saturn and Uranus

19.

An astronaut on the Moon weighs about one-sixth of his weight on Earth. This is because

a)

astronauts lose mass when they are on the Moon

b)

the Moon has a weaker force of gravity than the Earth

c)

there is no atmosphere on the Moon

d)

the Moon is so far away from the Earth

20.

At which location is the gravitational attraction between the Sun and the planet greatest?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

21.

Which celestial feature is largest in actual size?

a)

The Moon

b)

Jupiter

c)

the Sun

d)

the Milky Way

22.

Stars have a shape closest to that of a

a)

pizza pie

b)

basketball

c)

pentagon

d)

snowflake

23.

The Milky Way galaxy is best described as

a)

a type of solar system

b)

a constellation visible to everyone on Earth

c)

a region in space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

d)

a spiral-shaped formation composed of billions of stars

24.

In which list are celestial features correctly shown in order of increasing size?

a)

galaxy → solar system → universe → planet

b)

solar system → galaxy → planet → universe

c)

planet → solar system → galaxy → universe

d)

universe → galaxy → solar system → planet

25.

Billions of stars in the same region of the universe are called

a)

solar systems

b)

asteroid belts

c)

constellations

d)

galaxies

26.

Which arrangement of symbols is most accurate?

a)
b)
c)
d)
27.

A black hole is a celestial feature believed to have a mass millions of times the mass of our Sun and a diameter less than the diameter of Earth. An object of such high mass and small volume would have

a)

a very low density

b)

a very high density

c)

an elliptical orbit with the Sun at one focal point

d)

an elliptical orbit with Earth at one focal point

28.

Which statement best describes galaxies?

a)

They are similar in size to the solar system.

b)

They contain only one star but hundreds of planets.

c)

They may contain a few hundred stars in a space slightly larger than the solar system.

d)

They may contain billions of stars in a space much larger than our solar system.

29.

Which of the following would most likely be studied by an astronomer?

a)

the nucleus of an atom

b)

new forms of plastics

c)

distant galaxies

d)

sound waves

30.

A planet was viewed from Earth for several hours. The diagrams represent the appearance of the planet at four different times.


The best inference that can be made based on the diagrams is that this planet is

a)

tilted on its axis

b)

changing seasons

c)

revolving

d)

rotating