What was the first food eaten in space by a US astronaut?
Answer
Applesauce
94 Astronomy Trivia Questions with Answers
94 public questions with answers, drawn from the well. How many can you answer?
Astronomy trivia explores the science, history, and people behind our universe. These 95 questions range from planetary facts—such as which planet spins through the shortest day—to landmark moments in space exploration, including the first person in space and the third astronaut to walk on the Moon.
The hub also covers major ideas and pioneering figures: the heliocentric model, the Big Bang theory, the first U.S. woman astronaut, and the first African-American woman in space. It suits science classrooms, astronomy clubs, family game nights, and pub quizzes, with a mix of accessible solar-system questions and more challenging history-of-spaceflight clues.
Which planet in our solar system has the shortest day?
Answer
Jupiter
Who was the third person to walk on the moon?
Answer
Pete Conrad
Who was the first U.S. woman astronaut?
Answer
Sally Ride
Who was the first person in space?
Answer
Yuri Gagarin
Who was the first African-American female astronaut?
Answer
Dr. Mae Jemison
Who is credited with creating the "Big Bang Theory"?
Answer
Georges Lemaitre
Who first proposed the heliocentric model of the solar system?
Answer
Aristarcus
Who described the rings of Saturn as "ears of a teacup"?
Answer
Galileo
Which Jovian moon has volcanoes?
Answer
Io
Which is the slowest orbiting planet?
Answer
Neptune
Which gas comprises most of Venus' atmosphere?
Answer
Carbon Dioxide
Which constellation are the stars Castor and Pollux in?
Answer
Gemini
Which Apollo Mission was launched on November 14, 1969?
Answer
Apollo 12
Which Apollo mission was launched on January 31, 1971?
Answer
Apollo 14
Which Apollo mission was launched on April 11, 1970?
Answer
Apollo 13
Where is the Sun plotted on the Hertzprung-Russell diagram?
Answer
Main Sequence
What was the name of the first manned space vehicle?
Answer
Vostok 1
What was the first probe to land on Venus?
Answer
Venera 7
What was the element mercury named after?
Answer
The Roman Messenger God
What star, next to the Sun, is nearest to Earth?
Answer
Proxima Centauri
What star is labeled Alpha Ursa Minoris?
Answer
Polaris
What satellite series was known as "fellow traveler"?
Answer
Sputnik
What rocket launched the Apollo program?
Answer
Saturn
What must a meteor do in order to become a meteorite?
Answer
Hit The Earth's Surface
What kind of star system is Algol?
Answer
Binary Star System
What is Uranus' period of revolution around the sun?
Answer
84.01 Earth Years
What is the tilt of the earth as it rotates on its axis?
Answer
23 Degrees
What is the sun mostly made up of?
Answer
Hydrogen
What is the study of stars, planets and galaxies called?
Answer
Astronomy
What is the sixth planet from the sun?
Answer
Saturn
What is the second planet in distance from the sun?
Answer
Venus
What is the place where projectors are used to show the night sky?
Answer
Planetarium
What is the opposite to ordinary matter called?
Answer
Antimatter
What is the name for the Sun's outer-most atmosphere?
Answer
Corona
What is the name for a body in orbit around the Sun?
Answer
Planet
What is the distance that light travels in a year called?
Answer
Light Year
Astronomy trivia — quick answers
What are good astronomy trivia questions?
Good astronomy trivia questions mix observable facts with scientific history. Examples include asking which planet has the shortest day, who first proposed the heliocentric model, who was the first person in space, and what food the first U.S. astronaut ate in space. A strong set balances planets, stars, cosmology, missions, and famous astronauts.
How hard is astronomy trivia?
Astronomy trivia can range from beginner to advanced. Questions about the Moon, planets, and famous astronauts are generally approachable, while questions about orbital mechanics, cosmological theories, stellar classification, or lesser-known missions require more specialized knowledge. This hub combines quick-win facts with deeper science and space-history challenges.
Who was the first person in space?
Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first person in space on April 12, 1961. He orbited Earth once aboard Vostok 1 during a flight that lasted about 108 minutes. Gagarin’s mission marked the beginning of human spaceflight and made him an international symbol of the Space Age.
Which planet has the shortest day?
Jupiter has the shortest day of any planet in the Solar System. It completes one rotation in roughly 10 hours, although its rapid spin also contributes to its noticeably flattened shape at the poles. Because Jupiter is a gas giant, different latitudes rotate at slightly different speeds.
Who was the first African-American woman in space?
Mae Jemison became the first African-American woman in space when she flew aboard Space Shuttle Endeavour on mission STS-47 in September 1992. A physician, engineer, and former Peace Corps medical officer, Jemison conducted life-science experiments during the mission and later became a prominent advocate for science education.