The Sky’s No Limit. Test Your Knowledge of Astronomy!

Explore your knowledge of outer space with our newest quiz, and then search out the answers to see how you did.

The planet Mars

  1. Since 1976 NASA has been landing spacecraft on which of the following planets?
    Mars
    Saturn
    Mercury

  2. Which of the following is no longer considered a planet?
    Earth
    Jupiter
    Pluto

  3. What is considered essential for life on any planet?
    Salt
    Liquid water
    Rock

  4. What is a blue moon?
    A moon that looks blue
    A moon that appears sad from Earth
    The second full moon in a calendar month

  5. Which telescope is currently orbiting in space?
    Mt. Palomar
    Hubbell
    Keck

  6. A comet is made of which of the following materials?
    Ice and dust
    Flaming gas
    Satellites

  7. What is a constellation?
    Stars that are close to one another
    Stars that travel together
    Stars that just look like a pattern from Earth but may have no relationship to one another

  8. The Big Dipper is part of which constellation?
    Ursa Major (Big Bear)
    Ursa Minor (Little Bear)
    Tres Ursae (Three Bears)

  9. How many stars are believed to be in a galaxy?
    Fewer than 100 stars
    Approximately 100, 000 stars
    Millions, billions, or more stars

  10. Our solar system is in which galaxy?
    Andromeda
    The Milky Way
    The Sombrero Galaxy

  11. Which constellation includes five stars that form the letter W?
    Cassiopeia
    Aquarius
    Pisces

  12. Which planet is known as the "evening star"?
    Saturn
    Venus
    Mercury

  13. What is a shooting star or falling star?
    A fast-moving ring around Saturn
    A meteor created from burning rock or metal
    The sparkling buckle in Orion's belt

  14. In 1962, who became the first American to orbit Earth?
    John Glenn
    Sally Ride
    Neil Armstrong

For more information on astronomy and space, check out these resources:
www.skyandtelescope.com
www.nasa.gov
apod.nasa.gov picture of the day

See the Stars by Ken Croswell suggests ways to explore the constellations with kids.

Find the best dates to observe shooting stars at HighlightsKids.com.

Learn what kids told us they would pack for an outer space adventure in the June, 2008 issue of Highlights (pages 24-25) or go to www.highlightskids.com.

Answers:

Answers:

  1. Since 1976 NASA has been landing spacecraft on which of the following planets?
    Answer: Mars
    NASA's Phoenix Lander just set down on Mars in May 2008. There were a number of prior missions, starting in the 1970s.

  2. Which of the following is no longer considered a planet?
    Answer: Pluto
    In 2006, the General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union decided that Pluto didn't meet all the criteria for a planet. Now there are, officially, eight planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

  3. What is considered essential for life on any planet?
    Answer: Liquid water
    The search for water is a major reason for the current mission to Mars, which is looking for evidence of water and other conditions that could have supported life.

  4. What is a blue moon?
    Answer: The second full moon in a calendar month
    The expression "once in a blue moon" comes from the fact that blue moons are rare.

  5. Which telescope is currently orbiting in space?
    Answer: NASA's Hubbell Space Telescope
    The Hubbell telescope is in orbit around Earth. The Mt. Palomar telescope is near San Diego, California, and the twin Keck telescopes are at the top of Mauna Kea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii.

  6. A comet is made of which of the following materials?
    Answer: Ice and dust
    Comets have a head composed of dust and ice. They are often described as "dirty snowballs."

  7. What is a constellation?
    Answer: Stars that just look like a pattern from Earth but may have no relationship to one another
    Constellations are named patterns of stars. Many cultures, including the Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans, named the patterns after animals and objects.

  8. The Big Dipper is part of which constellation?
    Answer: Ursa Major (Big Bear)
    The tip of the Big Dipper's handle forms the Bear's nose! Even though the Big Dipper isn't a constellation, it's one of the most widely recognized configurations in the sky.

  9. How many stars are believed to be in a galaxy?
    Answer: Millions, billions, or more stars
    A galaxy is a big system of stars, gas, dust, and other elements that are gravitationally bound to one another and travel together. It consists of millions, billions, or more stars.

  10. Our solar system is in which galaxy?
    Answer: The Milky Way
    Our galaxy, the Milky Way, consists of about two hundred billion stars. The word galaxy derives from gala, the Greek word for milk.

  11. Which constellation includes five stars that form the letter W?
    Answer: Cassiopeia
    Cassiopeia can be seen in the Northern Hemisphere near the North Star. In Greek mythology, Cassiopeia was Andromeda's mother.

  12. Which planet is known as the "evening star"?
    Answer: Venus
    Venus, while a planet, is brighter than most stars, Sometimes it is visible after sunset. At other times it is visible before sunrise. Then it is called the "morning star."

  13. What is a shooting star or falling star?
    Answer: A meteor
    The bright streak of light created when a piece of rock or metal falls to Earth is called a "meteor" or "shooting star." The light is caused by heat created from air friction.

  14. In 1962, who became the first American to orbit Earth?
    Answer: John Glenn
    In 1962, John Glenn orbited Earth three times. In 1969, Neil Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin became the first people ever to walk on the Moon. In 1983, Sally Ride was the first woman to orbit Earth.