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Question 1: What is the closest planet to the Sun?
| Option A | Option B | Option C | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mars | Venus | Mercury | Mercury |
Summary:
Mercury is the closest planet to the Sun, orbiting at an average distance of about 57.9 million kilometers (36 million miles). Due to its proximity, Mercury has very short years, completing an orbit around the Sun in just 88 Earth days.
- Why not Mars? Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun, much farther away than Mercury.
- Why not Venus? Venus is the second planet from the Sun, so while it is closer to the Sun than Mars, it is not as close as Mercury.
Question 2: Which planet is known as the Earth's twin?
| Option A | Option B | Option C | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venus | Mars | Jupiter | Venus |
Summary:
Venus is often referred to as Earth's twin because of its similar size, mass, distance from the Sun, and bulk composition. However, its conditions are vastly different due to its thick atmosphere and extremely high surface temperatures.
- Why not Mars? Mars is considered for potential colonization due to its conditions, but it is much smaller and quite different from Earth in terms of size and pressure.
- Why not Jupiter? Jupiter is a gas giant with no solid surface and is much larger than Earth, making it very different from our planet.
Question 3: What is the name of the galaxy we live in?
| Option A | Option B | Option C | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andromeda | Milky Way | Whirlpool | Milky Way |
Summary:
We live in the Milky Way galaxy, a barred spiral galaxy that contains our Solar System. It gets its name from the milky appearance of the band of light it forms in the sky, as seen from Earth.
- Why not Andromeda? Andromeda is the closest spiral galaxy to the Milky Way but is a separate galaxy.
- Why not Whirlpool? The Whirlpool Galaxy is another spiral galaxy located about 23 million light-years away from Earth, in the constellation Canes Venatici.
Question 4: Which planet has the most moons?
| Option A | Option B | Option C | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jupiter | Saturn | Neptune | Jupiter |
Summary:
Jupiter has the most moons of any planet in our solar system, with a total of 92 moons as of 2023. Its large size and strong gravitational pull allow it to capture many celestial objects.
- Why not Saturn? Saturn has 83 known moons, fewer than Jupiter. However, Saturn's moons are also significant, with Titan being the largest.
- Why not Neptune? Neptune has only 14 known moons, which is much fewer compared to Jupiter and Saturn.
Question 5: What is the hottest planet in our solar system?
| Option A | Option B | Option C | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Venus | Mars | Venus |
Summary:
Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system, with surface temperatures reaching up to 900°F (475°C). This is due to its thick atmosphere composed primarily of carbon dioxide, which creates a strong greenhouse effect.
- Why not Mercury? Although Mercury is closer to the Sun, it lacks a significant atmosphere to retain heat, resulting in cooler average temperatures compared to Venus.
- Why not Mars? Mars has a thin atmosphere and is farther from the Sun, making it much colder.
Question 6: Are any of the planets known for having rings around them like a certain planet in our solar system?
Option A Option B Option C Answer Neptune Uranus Saturn Saturn Summary:
It is well known for its extensive system of rings mainly made from water ice, rocks, and dust. These rings are visible from Earth with a small telescope.- Why not Neptune? In as much as Neptune has rings, they are not well visible unlike those of Saturn.
- Why not Uranus? But like Saturn, Uranus also has rings although the rings of Uranus are much darker and smaller than that of Saturn.
Question 7: Which of NASA’s space telescopes is the most recognized?
Option A Option B Option C Answer Hubble Chandra Kepler Hubble Summary:
The Hubble Space Telescope is one of the most used and recognized space telescopes belonging to NASA and was launched in 1990. It has given some of the best telescopic views of the far-off galaxies, nebulae, and other such celestial objects.- Why not Chandra? Chandra X-ray Observatory concerns itself with the area of X-ray astronomy and remains less famous than Hubble for its pictures in visible light.
- Why not Kepler? Kepler is a space telescope designed for finding exoplanets and can be said to have a more specific purpose compared to repairs, maintenance, and observations that can be done with the Hubble telescope.
Question 8: Which is the planetary designation for the planet that lights up the sky in the morning as the “Morning Star”?
Option A Option B Option C Answer Mars Venus Jupiter Venus Summary:
Often, it is seen in the eastern sky just before sunrise and that is why Venus is sometimes referred to as the “Morning Star.” It can also only be seen in the evening thus it has another name known as the Evening Star.- Why not Mars? Mars as an independent bright object cannot be observed in the morning sky often.
- Why not Jupiter? Nonetheless, the simpler fact that Jupiter is visible in the morning sky does not have the title “Morning Star.”
Question 9: How many planets are there in the solar system?
Option A Option B Option C Answer 7 8 9 8 Summary:
There are eight planets in our solar system: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The International Astronomical Union reclassified Pluto to that of a relatively small planet in the year 2006.- Why not 7? Seven would exclude one of the recognized planets from being counted as such.
- Why not 9? Nine is including Pluto that is not counted as a planet now.
Question 10: What is the name of the first satellite used in space?
Option A Option B Option C Answer Explorer 1 Sputnik 1 Luna 2 Sputnik 1 Summary:
The first artificial Earth satellite, called Sputnik 1, entered orbit around Earth on October 4, 1957, initiated by the Soviet Union. It signified a new era, more specifically the space age and the United States – United Space. It emerged in the context of competing for the leadership in the space race as S. S. R.- Why not Explorer 1? Explorer 1 was the first satellite of the United States put into orbit in the Earth’s space soon after Sputnik 1 on January 31, 1958.
- Why not Luna 2? Luna 2 was also the first spacecraft, aka a strengthened artificial satellite, but the first to crash on the surface of the Moon. At one time it was known exclusively by the acronym Luna, but it was eventually assigned a number in honor of its historical accomplishment.
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