How to identify constellations
  • 1. What is the first step in finding constellations?
A) Memorize the entire celestial sphere.
B) Guess randomly until you see a pattern.
C) Use a very powerful telescope.
D) Find a dark location away from city lights.
  • 2. Which of these is a common starting point for finding constellations?
A) A faint galaxy
B) Any random star
C) The smallest cluster of stars
D) The Big Dipper (Ursa Major)
  • 3. What is an asterism?
A) A type of planet.
B) The brightest star in the sky.
C) A black hole.
D) A recognizable pattern of stars that is not an official constellation.
  • 4. Which constellation contains the North Star (Polaris)?
A) Leo
B) Ursa Minor
C) Orion
D) Aquarius
  • 5. What is a star chart used for?
A) Identifying constellations and stars.
B) Navigating by GPS.
C) Making astronomical calculations.
D) Predicting the weather.
  • 6. Which of these tools can help you locate constellations?
A) A compass
B) A planisphere (star wheel)
C) A magnifying glass
D) A protractor
  • 7. What does the brightness of a star indicate?
A) Color
B) Magnitude
C) Distance
D) Temperature
  • 8. What is the constellation Orion known for?
A) Its distinctive three-star belt.
B) Being invisible to the naked eye.
C) Being near the moon.
D) Containing only red stars.
  • 9. Which constellation looks like a scorpion?
A) Sagittarius
B) Scorpius
C) Libra
D) Capricorn
  • 10. What season is Orion best viewed in the Northern Hemisphere?
A) Winter
B) Autumn
C) Summer
D) Spring
  • 11. Which constellation contains the bright star Vega?
A) Cygnus
B) Lyra
C) Aquila
D) Gemini
  • 12. What is the ecliptic?
A) The boundary of the solar system.
B) The path of the Moon.
C) The Earth's orbit.
D) The path the Sun appears to take across the sky.
  • 13. Which constellations are part of the Zodiac?
A) The brightest constellations.
B) All constellations visible in the summer.
C) The constellations along the ecliptic.
D) Constellations closest to the North Star.
  • 14. What is light pollution?
A) The natural glow of stars.
B) Excessive artificial light that obscures the night sky.
C) The reflection of sunlight off the moon.
D) Electromagnetic radiation from space.
  • 15. Which constellation represents a centaur?
A) Sagittarius
B) Taurus
C) Gemini
D) Centaurus
  • 16. What is the Milky Way?
A) A bright constellation.
B) A star cluster.
C) A nebula.
D) Our galaxy, appearing as a faint band of light across the sky.
  • 17. What does 'circumpolar' mean in relation to constellations?
A) Visible only during summer.
B) Always visible above the horizon.
C) Never visible.
D) Visible only in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • 18. Which constellation is known for the Pleiades star cluster?
A) Pisces
B) Gemini
C) Aries
D) Taurus
  • 19. How many official constellations are there?
A) Unlimited
B) 50
C) 12
D) 88
  • 20. What is the celestial sphere?
A) An imaginary sphere surrounding the Earth on which stars appear to be located.
B) The solar system.
C) A real sphere made of stars.
D) The Earth's atmosphere.
  • 21. Why do constellations appear to move across the night sky?
A) Due to the expansion of the universe.
B) Due to the Earth's rotation.
C) Due to the movement of the stars themselves.
D) Due to atmospheric conditions.
  • 22. What is the name of the brightest star in the night sky?
A) Sirius
B) Polaris
C) Betelgeuse
D) Vega
  • 23. Which constellation contains the Andromeda Galaxy?
A) Andromeda
B) Perseus
C) Triangulum
D) Cassiopeia
  • 24. What is the difference between a constellation and a galaxy?
A) They are the same thing.
B) A galaxy is a constellation, but much brighter.
C) A constellation is a pattern of stars, a galaxy is a vast system of stars, gas, and dust.
D) A constellation is a galaxy, but much smaller.
  • 25. When is the best time to view constellations?
A) When it is raining.
B) During a full moon.
C) On clear, moonless nights.
D) During the day.
  • 26. Which constellation is often depicted as a swan?
A) Lyra
B) Aquila
C) Pegasus
D) Cygnus
  • 27. What is the importance of knowing your latitude when using a star chart?
A) It determines how bright the moon appears.
B) It determines which constellations are visible from your location.
C) It is not important.
D) It only affects the color of the stars you see.
  • 28. Which of these is NOT a constellation?
A) Leo
B) Cancer
C) Milky Way
D) Gemini
  • 29. What is right ascension and declination?
A) Names of stars.
B) Coordinates used to locate objects in the sky.
C) Names of planets.
D) Types of telescopes.
  • 30. How can phone apps help to identify constellations?
A) They cannot identify constellations.
B) By predicting the stock market.
C) By using the phone's camera to overlay constellation lines onto the sky.
D) By controlling telescopes remotely.
Created with That Quiz — where test making and test taking are made easy for math and other subject areas.