Astronomy Basics
What does the Greek root “astron” mean?
Star
Plato believed the universe was made of how many types of matter?
Five (earth, air, fire, water, and cosmos)
Who proposed the geocentric (Earth-centered) model?
Ptolemy
What is the shape of every planet’s orbit according to Kepler’s first law?
Ellipse
Define astronomy in one short sentence.
The science of space beyond Earth’s atmosphere
Aristotle believed which object was at the center of the universe?
Earth
Which Polish astronomer argued that planets revolve around the Sun?
Copernicus
If a planet is closer to the Sun, does it move faster or slower?
Faster
Name one celestial object or phenomenon, besides stars, that astronomers study.
Planets (or comets, galaxies, black holes, etc)
Which shape did Plato think formed Earth’s building blocks?
Cubes
Galileo used a telescope to discover four moons around which planet?
Jupiter
Kepler’s second law says a planet sweeps out equal ______ in equal times.
areas