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Quizzes > Science

Stellar Space Quiz: 30 Questions to Test Your Knowledge

Quick, free astronomy quiz to test your space knowledge. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Nicholas PetragliaUpdated Aug 27, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
2-5mins
Learning OutcomesCheat Sheet
Paper art style planets stars cosmic shapes around quiz title on dark blue background

This space quiz helps you review planets, stars, and galaxies with 30 quick questions, get instant feedback, and spot gaps before your next science class. If you want more practice after you finish, try our planets quiz, explore star trivia, or take a space knowledge test to sharpen what you learned.

Which planet is known as the Red Planet?
Mercury
Mars
Venus
Jupiter
Mars is referred to as the Red Planet because its surface is covered with iron oxide, giving it a reddish appearance visible even to the naked eye. The iron oxide dust and rocks reflect sunlight in a way that makes the planet look red. Ancient civilizations associated this color with fire and blood and linked the planet to war deities.
What is at the center of our solar system?
Jupiter
The Moon
Earth
The Sun
The Sun is the central star of our solar system, containing approximately 99.8% of its total mass. Its gravitational pull keeps planets, asteroids and comets in their orbits. The Sun's energy is produced by nuclear fusion reactions in its core converting hydrogen to helium.
Which is the largest planet in our solar system?
Jupiter
Neptune
Earth
Saturn
Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system by both mass and volume. Its diameter is more than 11 times that of Earth and it has a mass more than twice that of all other planets combined. Jupiter's strong magnetic field and dozens of moons make it a focal point for understanding planetary formation.
What celestial body orbits Earth?
The Moon
Mars
The Sun
Venus
The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite and completes an orbit approximately every 27.3 days. It influences Earth's tides through its gravitational pull and has phases that change as it orbits. Lunar missions have provided detailed mapping of its surface and composition.
What is the name of our galaxy?
Milky Way
Sombrero
Andromeda
Whirlpool
Our galaxy is called the Milky Way, a barred spiral galaxy containing over 100 billion stars. From Earth, it appears as a luminous band spanning the night sky. The name comes from its appearance as a milky circle of light.
Which planet is closest to the Sun?
Mercury
Mars
Earth
Venus
Mercury is the innermost planet in our solar system, orbiting the Sun at an average distance of 58 million kilometers. Its proximity to the Sun causes extreme temperature variations. Mercury's day lasts about 176 Earth days due to its slow rotation.
How many planets are in our solar system?
Nine
Seven
Eight
Ten
There are eight recognized planets in our solar system following the reclassification of Pluto as a dwarf planet in 2006. The planets, in order from the Sun, are Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. This count excludes dwarf planets and smaller bodies.
What force keeps planets in orbit around the Sun?
Magnetism
Friction
Gravity
Radiation pressure
Gravity is the attractive force that governs the motion of planets, causing them to orbit the Sun. Isaac Newton's law of universal gravitation describes how every mass exerts an attractive force on every other mass. The balance between a planet's inertia and the Sun's gravitational pull results in elliptical orbits.
What causes a solar eclipse?
Sunspots blocking sunlight
The Earth passing between the Sun and the Moon
The Moon passing between the Sun and Earth
A comet passing by
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves directly between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth's surface. Depending on distances, it can be total, partial, or annular. The alignment required makes solar eclipses relatively rare at any given location.
What is the term for the explosive death of a massive star?
Supernova
Nova
Black hole
Neutron star
A supernova is a powerful and luminous explosion marking the death of a massive star. It can briefly outshine entire galaxies and ejects most of the star's material into space. Supernovae play a key role in dispersing heavy elements necessary for planet formation.
Which galaxy is the closest large neighbor to the Milky Way?
Whirlpool Galaxy
Large Magellanic Cloud
Andromeda Galaxy
Triangulum Galaxy
The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the nearest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way at about 2.5 million light-years away. It contains roughly one trillion stars, more than double the Milky Way's count. Andromeda and the Milky Way are on a collision course set to merge in about 4.5 billion years.
What unit is used to express astronomical distances, equal to the distance light travels in one year?
Astronomical Unit
Light-year
Kilometer
Parsec
A light-year is the distance that light travels in a vacuum in one Julian year, about 9.46 trillion kilometers. It provides a practical scale for measuring vast interstellar and intergalactic distances. Astronomers use light-years to describe the separation between stars and galaxies.
Which planet has the most extensive ring system?
Saturn
Uranus
Jupiter
Neptune
Saturn's ring system is the most extensive and complex in the solar system, made up of ice and rock particles ranging from micrometers to meters in size. The rings span over 270,000 kilometers in diameter but are generally only about 10 meters thick. Their origin may involve the breakup of a moon or captured comet.
What was the name of the first artificial satellite launched into space?
Sputnik 1
Apollo 1
Explorer 1
Vanguard 1
Sputnik 1 was launched by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957, becoming the first artificial satellite to orbit Earth. It transmitted radio pulses detectable by ground stations and initiated the space age. Its success sparked the space race between the USSR and the USA.
Which NASA mission first landed humans on the Moon?
Mercury 7
Apollo 1
Gemini 4
Apollo 11
Apollo 11 was the NASA mission that first landed astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin on the Moon on July 20, 1969. Armstrong's famous words, "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind," marked the achievement. The mission returned safely with lunar rock samples.
Approximately how old is the universe?
100 million years
13.8 billion years
4.5 billion years
500 billion years
Current cosmological measurements, including observations of the cosmic microwave background by the Planck satellite, estimate the age of the universe at about 13.8 billion years. This age corresponds to the time elapsed since the Big Bang. Data from type Ia supernovae and galaxy redshifts support this value.
What classification best describes the Milky Way galaxy?
Barred spiral galaxy
Elliptical galaxy
Lenticular galaxy
Irregular galaxy
The Milky Way is classified as a barred spiral galaxy because it has a central bar-shaped structure composed of stars. Spiral arms extend from the ends of this bar. Observations of star distributions and gas dynamics confirm its barred spiral nature.
What is the name for the boundary around a black hole beyond which nothing can escape?
Singularity
Event horizon
Photon sphere
Accretion disk
The event horizon is the surface surrounding a black hole from which nothing, not even light, can escape once crossed. It marks the boundary where the escape velocity equals the speed of light. The core singularity lies within the event horizon.
Which element is most abundant in the universe?
Carbon
Hydrogen
Helium
Oxygen
Hydrogen makes up about 75% of the normal (baryonic) matter in the universe by mass. It was formed in the first few minutes after the Big Bang during nucleosynthesis. Hydrogen's simplicity and abundance make it the primary fuel for stellar fusion processes.
What is the cosmic microwave background radiation?
Radiation from quasars
Radiation from solar flares
Faint residual radiation from the Big Bang
Light emitted by neutron stars
The cosmic microwave background (CMB) is the thermal radiation left over from the time of recombination in Big Bang cosmology. Discovered in 1965, it provides a snapshot of the early universe about 380,000 years after the Big Bang. Tiny temperature fluctuations in the CMB reveal information about the universe's structure and composition.
What astronomical object is a quasar?
Extremely luminous active galactic nucleus powered by a supermassive black hole
A type of neutron star
A planetary nebula
A small galaxy cluster
A quasar is an extremely bright and distant active galactic nucleus powered by gas accreting onto a supermassive black hole. Quasars can outshine their host galaxies and are used to study the early universe. Their spectra show high redshifts, indicating great distances.
Which planet has a rotation period longer than its orbital period, making its day longer than its year?
Mercury
Mars
Venus
Earth
Venus has a sidereal rotation period of about 243 Earth days and an orbital period of about 225 Earth days, so its day is longer than its year. This retrograde rotation is opposite to most planets in the solar system. The slow spin and dense atmosphere contribute to extreme surface conditions.
What is the Fermi paradox concerned with?
The apparent contradiction between high probability of extraterrestrial life and lack of evidence
The effects of dark energy on galaxy rotation
The alignment of planets in the solar system
The measurement of cosmic microwave background fluctuations
The Fermi paradox highlights the discrepancy between the high probability estimates for extraterrestrial civilizations and the lack of observational evidence for them. It raises questions about factors like civilization lifespans and detectability. Various solutions include the Rare Earth hypothesis and the possibility of self-destruction.
What does the Drake Equation estimate?
The number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way
The age of black holes
The frequency of supernovae
The mass of the universe
The Drake Equation is a probabilistic formula used to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way. It incorporates factors like star formation rate, fraction of stars with planets, and likelihood of life developing intelligence. While many parameters are uncertain, it frames the scientific discussion on extraterrestrial life.
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Study Outcomes

  1. Recall Planetary Details -

    Rapidly identify key characteristics of the eight planets and dwarf planets in our solar system.

  2. Recognize Stellar Phenomena -

    Distinguish between different types of stars, nebulae, and other celestial objects in the cosmos.

  3. Assess Exoplanet Discoveries -

    Evaluate notable exoplanets and understand the methods used to detect them.

  4. Understand Star Life Cycles -

    Explain the main stages of stellar evolution from formation to end-of-life scenarios.

  5. Apply Space Terminology -

    Use accurate astronomical terms to describe phenomena in space trivia challenges.

  6. Improve Quiz Strategy -

    Develop techniques to tackle space quiz questions more effectively and boost retention of space facts.

Cheat Sheet

  1. Solar System Architecture -

    Review the order of the eight planets using the mnemonic "My Very Excellent Mother Just Served Us Noodles." This helps you recall Mercury to Neptune focusing on relative size, composition, and orbital distances as outlined by NASA. Understanding this framework is crucial for solar system trivia and questions space challenges.

  2. Hertzsprung-Russell Diagram -

    The HR diagram categorizes stars by luminosity and surface temperature, revealing the Main Sequence, giants, and white dwarfs. Remember the left-hot, right-cool axis and vertical brightness scale when tackling astronomy quiz questions space trivia. Based on data from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, it's a cornerstone for star classification.

  3. Kepler's Laws of Planetary Motion -

    Kepler's First Law describes elliptical orbits with the Sun at one focus, and the Second Law states a line from planet to Sun sweeps equal areas in equal times. Use the Third Law's formula P² ∝ a³ (orbital period squared proportional to semi-major axis cubed) for quick orbit period calculations in astronomy quiz questions. These laws, originally published in 1609 by Johannes Kepler, underpin modern orbital mechanics.

  4. Measuring Cosmic Distances -

    Light years and parsecs quantify vast distances; one parsec equals 3.26 light years and is derived from stellar parallax angles. Remember "Parallax = angle shift; distance = 1/parallax" (in arcseconds) from ESA's Gaia mission data to solve questions space distance problems. Mastering these units lets you gauge galaxy locations and exotic objects across the universe.

  5. Detecting Exoplanets -

    Transit and radial velocity methods are key: the transit dip depth ΔF/F≈(Rp/R*)² gives planet size, while stellar "wobble" measures mass using Doppler shifts. Use the mnemonic "TRaD" (Transit, Radial velocity, Direct imaging) for memory when facing space quiz questions or exoplanet trivia. Techniques validated by NASA's Kepler and TESS missions reveal thousands of worlds beyond our solar system.

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