Meteors/Meteorites
Comets
Multiverse Theory
Exoplanets/Planets
Constellations
100
What are meteors commonly known as? AKA the non-scientific term
To the general world, they can also be seen as shooting stars
100
This is the part of a comet that is blue
Ion Tail
The ion tail is the result of ultraviolet radiation ejecting electrons off particles in the coma. Once the particles have been ionised, they form a plasma which in turn induces a magnetosphere around the comet. The comet and its induced magnetic field form an obstacle to outward flowing solar wind particles.
100
This is the thought experiment that is used to explain the theory behind multiverses
Schrödinger's cat is a famous thought experiment that demonstrates the idea in quantum physics that tiny particles can be in two states at once until they're observed. It asks you to imagine a cat in a box with a mechanism that might kill it. Until you look inside, the cat is both alive and dead at the same time.
100
What can be classified as an exoplanet? In other words, how would you define them
An exoplanet is any planet beyond our solar system
100
This is the name of the constellation often referred to as "The Big Dipper"?
Ursa Major also known as the Great Bear, is one of the most well-known and easily recognizable constellations in the Northern Hemisphere. It contains the famous asterism known as "The Big Dipper," which is formed by seven bright stars.
200
These are the three main types of meteorites based on their composition
Iron meteorites, stony meteorites, and stony-iron meteorites
Iron meteorites are primarily composed of iron and nickel, stony meteorites are mainly composed of silicate minerals, and stony-iron meteorites contain a combination of both.
200
Halley's comet passes every ____ years
76
200
This is a common term in quantum mechanics to describe a duality of states
Superposition is the ability of a quantum system to be in multiple states at the same time until it is measured. Because the concept is difficult to understand, this essential principle of quantum mechanics is often illustrated by an experiment carried out in 1801 by the English physicist, Thomas Young.
200
This planet rains diamonds
Neptune/Uranus
The diamond rain phenomenon is believed by some scientists to take place on Uranus and Neptune in our solar system. It is thought it exists some 8,000 km below the surface of our ice giant neighbours, created from commonly found mixtures of hydrogen and carbon, squeezed together at incredible pressure
200
What were constellations typically used for in the olden days, and even now?
Sailors or farmers used them mainly for Navigation, Timekeeping (knowing when to plant crops) and Storytelling.
300
What is the difference between a fireball and a bolide?
Fireball: Meteor brighter than Venus
Bolide: Light emitted from a large meteoroid as it exploded in the atmosphere
300
This is how long comet tails can get
upto 1,000,000 miles !
300
This describes the scenario where if one object's state is known, the other is known as well
Entanglement is the phenomenon whereby a pair of particles are generated in such a way that the individual quantum states of each are indefinite until measured, and the act of measuring one determines the result of measuring the other, even when at a distance from each other.
300
Name a type of exoplanet.
Any from: Gas giants, Terrestrial, Neptunian, and Super-Earths
300
What shape does the constellation "Cassiopeia" take in the sky?
It is characterized by its distinctive "W" or "M" shape, depending on its orientation in the sky.
400
This meteor is the largest to land on Earth
Hoba meteorite, the largest intact meteorite, weighing about 60 tons, that has been found on Earth. It was discovered in 1920 on a farm called Hoba West, located 19 km (12 miles) west of Grootfontein in northern Namibia. The Hoba meteorite dropped from the sky less than 80,000 years ago and has never been moved.30 Jan 20
400
What makes the comet shine?
It's a common misconception that the "comet shines by itself", but it is actually the tail that reflects the light of the sun
400
These are the two terms used to explain the interaction of light waves
Destructive Interference, Constructive Interference
Destructive interference is when two waves traveling in the same direction are aligned at the crest of one wave and the trough of the other. The waves cancel out. Constructive interference is when two waves traveling in the same direction overlap, and their crests combine to produce a larger wave.
400
What is the composition of majority of Saturn's rings?
Saturn's rings are made up of around 90-95% water ice, but it is still a mystery as to why.
400
Name a bright star that the constellation known as "Orion" contains.
It contains the brightest stars Betelgeuse and Rigel.
Orion is made up of four stars: Rigel, Betelgeuse, Bellatrix, and Saiph which form a large roughly rectangular shape, at the centre of which lies the three stars of Orion's Belt—Alnitak, Alnilam, and Mintaka. His head is marked by an additional 8th star called Meissa, which is fairly bright to the observer.
500
Describe the difference between a meteoroid, meteor, and a meteorite
Meteoroids: Rocky space debris (small pieces of asteroids or comets too)
Meteors: Meteoroids that hit Earth’s atmosphere, entering at a high speed
Meteorites: Meteoroids go through Earth’s atmosphere and land on the surface
500
What are the two regions where comets are found? Describe their shape as well.
Kuiper Belt which has a donut-like shape
Oort Cloud which looks like a sphere (covers Kuiper Belt)
500
What had Einstein described it when he found something that was faster than the speed of light?
"Spooky action at a distance"
500
This planet is 11 times as big as Jupiter
OT44 is located 550 lightyears away in the constellation Chamaeleon. This cosmic wanderer is eleven times more massive than Jupiter and is thought to have a circumstellar disc of dust, rock and ice.
500
Is Crux primarily visible from the Northern or Southern Hemisphere?
The Crux constellation can be seen at peak in the Southern Hemisphere.