1000+ Astronomy MCQ for UPSC IES [Solved]

1. An imaginary belt of 12 constellations or group of stars la called
A. Zodiac
B. Steller group
C. Pulsar
D. Zodiacal light
Answer : A

2. What does perigee mean?
A. The position of the moon farthest from the earth
B. The position of the earth nearest to the Sun
C. The position of the moon nearest to the earth
D. The position of the earth farthest from the Sun
Answer : C

3. Which planet rotates on its axis from north to south?
A. Uranus
B. Venus
C. Mars
D. Pluto
Answer : A

4. Oldest object in the Solar System is __.
A. Titania
B. Titan
C. Miranda
D. Europa
Answer : C

5. The length of its day and the tilt of its axis are almost identical to those of the Earth. This is true or
A. Uranus
B. Neptune
C. Saturn
D. Mars
Answer : D

6. Which planet la known as a 'Morning Star' as well as an 'Evening Star'?
A. Venus
B. Uranus
C. Mercury
D. Mars
Answer : A

7. Shoemaker-Levy 9 is a
A. Meteors
B. Pole Stars
C. Comets
D. Stars
Answer : C

8. Presently the farthest planet from the Sun is _____.
A. Pluto
B. Neptune
C. Uranus
D. Venus
Answer : A

9. The most important constituent of the Sun's mass is.
Hydrogen
Helium
Silicon
Iron
A. 1 and 2
B. 2 and 3
C. 3 and 4
D. 1,2 and 4
Answer : A

10. Who was the first person to describe the earth as a sphere?
A. Columbus
B. Varahmihir
C. Aryabhat
D. Copernicus
Answer : D

11. Average density of the Earth is ( relative to water) __.
A. 5.5
B. 4.5
C. 9.5
D. 6.5
Answer : A

12. A swarm of small bodies in between the two Planets of Solar System is called 'asteroids' which are those two Planets?
A. Mars and Jupiter
B. Earth and Venus
C. Neptune and Pluto
D. Jupiter and Saturn
Answer : A

13. What is the time difference for every degree of longitude?
A. Eight minutes
B. Ten minutes
C. Four minutes
D. Twelve minutes
Answer : C

14. On which date is the Earth in 'aphelion'?
A. July-4
B. December-22
C. September-23
D. June-21
Answer : A

15. Which planet has the largest equatorial radius?
A. Jupiter
B. Saturn
C. Mars
D. Earth
Answer : A

16. An ancient star that has collapsed matter so dense that It creates gravitational force so powerful that even light also does not escape. It Is called
A. QSO
B. Black Hole
C. Neutron Star
D. Black Dwarf
Answer : B

17. The word 'planet' means ____.
A. wanderer
B. pollution
C. celestial body
D. heavenly body
Answer : A

18. Which star has the largest percentage In the universe
A. Single stars
B. Binary stars
C. Multiple stars
D. Cephied stars
Answer : C

19. The Sun contains over ___of the total mass of the Solar System.
A. 0.825
B. 0.98
C. 0.998
D. 0.02
Answer : C

20. The atmosphere of Venus contains large quantity of
A. Carbondioxide and sulphuric acid
B. Carbondioxide and nitric acid
C. Nitrogen and sulphuric acid
D. Nitrogen and nitric acid
Answer : A

21. What is the average radius of the Earth?
A. 6071km
B. 6571km
C. 6371km
D. 6771 km
Answer : C

22. Which of the following are the Inner Planets?
1. Mercury
2. Venus
3. Earth
4. Mars
A. Only 1
B. 1 and 2
C. 1, 2 and 3
D. 1, 2, 3 and 4
Answer : D

23. Which one of the following stars is nearest to the Earth?
A. Polaris
B. Alpha Centauri
C. Sun
D. Sirius
Answer : C

24. What is the name given to the widened rivermouth found at the point a river enters the sea?
A. Estuary
B. Bay
C. Gulf
D. Delta
Answer : A

25. What is the position of the moon called when it la farthest from the earth?
A. Perigee
B. Perihelion
C. Aphelion
D. Apogee
Answer : D

26. Which planet does take the longest time in completing one revolution around the Sun?
A. Uranus
B. Saturn
C. Pluto
D. Neptune
Answer : C

27. A celestial body which revolves round the Sun and receives heat and light from it is called _____.
A. Planet
B. Orion
C. Satellite
D. Star
Answer : A

28. The study of universe on grand scale is called.
A. Cosmology
B. Astronomy
C. Astrology
D. Exbiology
Answer : A

29. What is a 'synodic month'?
A. Moon's period of rotation on its axis with respect to the earth.
B. Moon's period of revolution around the earth.
C. Moon's period of revolution with respect to a star at infinity
D. Moon's period of revolution with respect to the Sun
Answer : D

30. What is the shape of our galaxy 'Milky Way'?
A. spiral
B. elliptical
C. circular
D. spherical
Answer : A

31. Which star la called the brightest star (Dog star)?
A. Sirius
B. Proxima Centaury
C. Orion
D. Pole Star
Answer : A

32. Charon' is the satellite of _____.
A. Earth
B. Saturn
C. Pluto
D. Neptune
Answer : C

33. Hale Bopp' is a newly discovered ____.
A. Planet
B. Meteore
C. Satellite
D. Comet
Answer : D

34. If the stars are seen to rise perpendicular to the horizon by an observer, he is located on the \
A. Equator
B. Tropic of Cancer
C. South Pole
D. North Pole
Answer : A

35. The date on which the Sun is vertical over the 'Tropic of Capricorn' is
A. December-22
B. March-21
C. June-21
D. September-23
Answer : A

36. How much Is the average distance of the Sun from the Earth?
A. 150 million km
B. 145 million km
C. 155 million km
D. 140 million km
Answer : A

37. Which of the following is known as the Cold Planet?
A. Mars
B. Uranus
C. Jupiter
D. Venus
Answer : C

38. On the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere which of the hollowing latitudes will have the longest night?
A. 45°S
B. 60°S
C. 60°N
D. 45°N
Answer : B

39. Speed of the revolution of the earth is___'
A. 100000 km per hour
B. 10000 km per hour
C. 1000 km per hour
D. 100 km per hour
Answer : A

40. When the earth is at its maximum distance from the Sun it is said to be in
A. Perigee
B. Apogee
C. Perihelion
D. Aphelion
Answer : D

41. Which of the following statements prove(s) that the earth Is spherical?
The Sun rises and sets at different lines in different places.
The shadow cast by the earth on the moon during the lunar eclipse is always circular.
Pictures taken from high alti
A. Only 1
B. 2 and 3
C. I, 2 and 3
D. Only 2
Answer : C

42. Polar Auroras are called __ in Southern Hemisphere.
A. Aurora Australis
B. Quasars
C. Aurora Borealis
D. Pulsar
Answer : A

43. When the Sun is vertically overhead along the Tropic of Capricorn at mid-day
A. days and nights are of equal lengths in the Northern Hemisphere
B. Nights are longer than days in the Southern Hemisphere
C. Days and nights are of equal lengths at the poles
D. Night is equal to 24 hours at the North Pole
Answer : D

44. Average temperature of the Earth is.
A. 14°C
B. 24°C
C. 34°C
D. 20°C
Answer : A

45. Period of sunspot cycle is
A. 11 years
B. 15 years
C. 21 years
D. 33 years
Answer : A

46. Which two planets do not have any satellites?
1. Mercury
2. Venus
3. Saturn
4. Pluto
A. 1 and 2
B. 2 WtQ 3
C. 3 and 4
D. 1 and 4
Answer : A

47. In which direction la the Tropic oC Capricorn in relation to the Equator?
A. North
B. South
C. East
D. West
Answer : B

48. Sidereal means
A. Pertaining or referring to the stars
B. Pertaining or referring to the moon
C. Pertaining or referring to the Sun
D. Pertaining' or referring to the cosmic bodies
Answer : A

49. Orion and Great Bear stand for ______.
A. star
B. planet
C. Solar System
D. Constellation
Answer : D

50. When does the Vernal Equinox occur?
A. December 25
B. March 21
C. February 28
D. January 14
Answer : B