THE BIG BANG
What is the Big Bang Theory?
This is the major theory that explains how the universe began.
What do we call a group of stars that form a recognized pattern in the sky?
A constellation.
What force holds a galaxy together?
Gravity.
What are irregularly shaped rocky objects that orbit the sun?
Asteroids.
The universe started to expand how many years ago?
13.8 years ago
How many constellations has the International Astronomical Union identified?
88
Our home galaxy is called what?
The Milky Way.
What do we call ice objects that release gas and dust, often called dirty snowballs?
Comets.
As the universe gets bigger, what happens to the matter inside it?
It spreads out.
What is the imaginary sphere where astronomers map constellations and stars?
Celestial sphere.
What are the three main types of galaxy shapes?
spiral, elliptical, and irregular
What do we call small rocks or boulders in space that burn up in the atmosphere as a shooting star?
A Meteor.
The universe began as a tiny, hot, and dense ____.
Singularity or Point.
Which constellation contains the Big Dipper asterism?
What unit, equivalent to 3.26 light-years, do astronomers often use to measure distances in space?
The largest asteroid in the solar system is _____
Vesta.
What model compares the universe's expansion to bread rising and raisins spreading apart?
The raisin-bread model
What is the name of the star found almost exactly above the North Pole, also called the North Star?
Polaris.
What is found at the center of the Milky Way galaxy?
A supermassive black hole.
What is the region between Mars and Jupiter where most asteroids are found?
The Asteroid Belt.