Space is big, we know. But the most remarkable thing about what’s out there, beyond the atmosphere, is how little we know about it.
The truth is, we’ve barely scratched the surface of our universe. It’s been estimated that we’ve discovered only 5% of it, while the remaining 95% is still a mystery — an unknown, unexplored, vast field of space facts left in the dark. Sure, we have our satellites, our astronauts, our telescopes, and loaded people already planning a vacation on the Moon. But what about the rest of us common folks with no skills or equipment to join the cause and get out there ourselves? How can we take a peek into the cosmos?
Simple. We stay lazy and let the astronomy experts do the hard work and throw us all the space trivia they find out over the years. Meanwhile, Bored Panda is here to fill in some gaps you may have and give you a taste of fun facts about space and the weird, wonderful things that happen when you leave Earth behind.
If you’re up for something different, take a look at these space trivia questions. For each one, you’ll find the answer in the comment section below. Think of this as a space quiz — you know, to see how many things you knew before getting the answer.
#1
Name the spacecraft that carried the first astronauts to the Moon.
Image source: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov
#2
Which constellation holds the hottest place in the universe?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#3
When did the US first set foot on the Moon?
Image source: rmg.co.uk
#4
A hexagonal-shaped storm can be found on which planet?
Image source: sciencedaily.com
#5
What is the solar system’s first planet from the Sun?
Image source: universetoday.com
#6
In our solar system, how many stars are there?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#7
How many of our solar system’s planets are formed of gas?
Image source: lpi.usra.edu
#8
Who was the first person to travel into space?
Image source: nasa.gov
#9
What is the most common type of star found in the Milky Way?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#10
One of the most well-known constellations is Orion. What did it get its name from?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#11
How many volcanoes do you think there are on Venus’s surface?
Image source: volcano.oregonstate.edu
#12
Physical space is frequently conceived in how many linear dimensions?
Image source: wiki.gis.com
#13
Which stars in the universe have a rotational speed of 600 times per second?
Image source: astronomy.swin.edu.au
#14
In which year did the US government propose new guidelines for space tourism?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#15
Which of the Moon’s prints will last for 100 million years?
Image source: space.com
#16
The word ‘astrophysics’ comes from a combination of Greek words. Are you aware of which of these bodies ‘Astro’ refers to?
Image source: vocabulary.com
#17
Which is the second smallest planet within our solar system?
Image source: nasa.gov
#18
Which is the brightest planet in the night’s sky?
Image source: space.com
#19
Which planet has the most Moons?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#20
In what year did Pluto become reclassified as a dwarf planet?
Image source: loc.gov
#21
Where can the biosphere be found?
Image source: britannica.com
#22
What phenomena keeps the planets in steady orbit around the Sun?
Image source: lpi.usra.edu
#23
Which is the largest start within our solar system?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#24
Who was the first person to walk on the Moon?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#25
Who was the first woman to travel into space?
Image source: rmg.co.uk
#26
What color is the Sun?
Image source: livescience.com
#27
What elements is the Sun composed of?
Image source: pbs.org
#28
Which celestial body within the solar system has the most mass?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#29
What is space junk?
Image source: nhm.ac.uk
#30
How many stars make up the Big Dipper?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#31
What causes the Moon to shine?
Image source: livescience.com
#32
What is the third brightest celestial object in our sky?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#33
How does a meteor become a meteorite?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#34
What does NASA stand for?
Image source: nasa.gov
#35
How old is the universe?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#36
Imagine we’ve arrived at the next planet, Venus. In visible light, we can’t view the surface of Venus from space. Why?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#37
What is the distance between Earth and Mars?
Image source: space.com
#38
Why did NASA invest millions of dollars in inventing a pen that could be used in space?
Image source: nasa.gov
#39
In the Andromeda Galaxy, how many stars are there?
Image source: public.nrao.edu
#40
What is an Emission nebula?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#41
What is the Earth’s size in miles?
Image source: space.com
#42
What percentage of our solar system’s mass is made up of planets?
Image source: nasa.gov
#43
What was the name of the first NASA mission?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#44
This planet, also known as the “morning star” and the “evening star,” has long inspired poets. What planet is it?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#45
What is the name of the planet that is sometimes referred to as Earth’s sister planet?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#46
What is the proper name of rocket science?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#47
What is the name of the planet that is nearest to the Sun?
Image source: space.com
#48
Which is the smallest planet within our solar system?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#49
The Moon called Titan orbits which planet?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#50
Which planet is larger, Neptune or Saturn?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#51
What protects Earth from meteoroids and radiation from the Sun?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#52
How many of our planets can be seen without a telescope?
Image source: starlust.org
#53
Phobos and Deimos are the Moons of which planet?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#54
Which planets have no Moons?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#55
Which planet has the fastest rotation?
Image source: coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu
#56
How long is one year on Jupiter?
Image source: spaceplace.nasa.gov
#57
Which is the oldest planet in our solar system?
Image source: planetary.org
#58
Which is the densest planet in our solar system?
Image source: open.edu
#59
Which planets have rings around them?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#60
Which planet has the most volcanoes?
Image source: eos.org
#61
What are the names of Jupiter’s four largest Moons?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#62
Which planet spins backward relative to the others?
Image source: scientificamerican.com
#63
Which are the four “gas giant” planets?
Image source: lpi.usra.edu
#64
Which are the four “terrestrial” planets?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#65
Why does Mercury have craters?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#66
Which star is the center of our solar system?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#67
How old is the Sun?
Image source: spaceplace.nasa.gov
#68
How long does it take the Sun’s rays to reach Earth?
Image source: phys.org
#69
When did the solar system form?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#70
If you weighed 200 pounds on Earth, how much would you weigh on Mars?
Image source: a-z-animals.com
#71
What causes high and low tides?
Image source: oceanservice.noaa.gov
#72
How long does a solar eclipse last?
Image source: nhm.ac.uk
#73
Name the three most famous asteroids.
Image source: nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov
#74
What do you call a large number of meteoroids occurring at the same time and place?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#75
How many Earths could fit inside the Sun?
Image source: universetoday.com
#76
What color is Mars’ sunset?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#77
Where can you go to see projections of the night sky?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#78
What is the Sun’s outermost atmosphere called?
Image source: scied.ucar.edu
#79
How is the distance between the Sun and Earth measured?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#80
How long does it take the Moon to pass through all its phases?
Image source: iop.org
#81
What do scientists call the disk that encircles a back hole?
Image source: nationalgeographic.com
#82
How long does it take the Moon to orbit the Earth?
Image source: moon.nasa.gov
#83
Who was the third astronaut to walk on the Moon?
Image source: rmg.co.uk
#84
Which astronaut is famous for having written his daughter’s initials on the Moon?
Image source: washingtonpost.com
#85
What are the storms produced by the Sun called?
Image source: windows2universe.org
#86
Which constellation contains the stars Castor and Pollux?
Image source: earthsky.org
#87
What is the study of the stars, planets, and galaxies?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#88
Which constellation is shaped like a winged horse?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#89
Which star is nearest to Earth?
Image source: space.com
#90
What do you call the path traveled by a celestial body in space?
Image source: dictionary.com
#91
What do scientists call a massive release of plasma from the Sun?
Image source: swpc.noaa.gov
#92
What is the unit of measurement used to describe the expansion of the universe?
Image source: space.com
#93
Which are the most common types of galaxies in the universe?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#94
How much of the universe is composed of dark matter?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#95
What are the largest stars in the universe?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#96
What has an incredibly strong gravitational pull that light can’t even escape?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#97
Some astrophysicists research the brightness of stars. What other words do you think you could use to describe luminosity?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#98
Which planet is referred to as “The Red Planet”?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#99
What is the hottest layer of the atmosphere?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#100
Which of the following is not a zodiac sign?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#101
What is the name of Mars’ highest mountain?
Image source: mars.nasa.gov
#102
What direction does the sunrise from?
Image source: starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov
#103
What is the maximum temperature that Venus’ surface can reach in degrees Fahrenheit?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#104
What is the speed of light?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#105
What is the meaning of antimatter?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#106
When will the next sight of Halley’s Comet be?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#107
What is the name of Jupiter’s largest Moon?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#108
What is the best estimate of the Earth’s age?
Image source: education.nationalgeographic.org
#109
What planet is Uranus?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#110
What does it smell like in space?
Image source: sfumatofragrances.com
#111
What year did the Space Age start?
Image source: education.nationalgeographic.org
#112
What is Pluto’s largest Moon’s name?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#113
In which year did the first woman enter space?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#114
Mercury has what?
Image source: science.nasa.gov
#115
What is NASA’s most famous space telescope’s name?
Image source: nasa.gov
#116
Space near gravitational fields deviates from Euclidean space according to which theory?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#117
How much of the mass of the Sun is taken up by the rest of the Solar System?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#118
Which planet has a jewel atmosphere?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#119
What is the name of the suborbital vehicle created by XCOR Aerospace?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#120
What is the weight of a spacesuit that takes 45 minutes to put on without the astronaut?
Image source: nasa.gov
#121
What planet in our solar system is the densest and has only one satellite?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#122
What color would the sky be if you were standing on the Moon with the Sun shining upon you?
Image source: starchild.gsfc.nasa.gov
#123
What is the frequency of a lunar eclipse?
Image source: nhm.ac.uk
#124
Uranus has only been visited by what spacecraft?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#125
There have been more missions to this planet versus any other planet.
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#126
Which planet is closest in size to Earth?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#127
Which planet has supersonic winds?
Image source: weather.gov
#128
Which are the five most recognized dwarf planets?
Image source: asc-csa.gc.ca
#129
Which planet rotates on its side?
Image source: jpl.nasa.gov
#130
How many Moons does Earth have?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#131
What causes a solar eclipse?
Image source: nasa.gov
#132
Where is the Oort Cloud located?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#133
What is a comet made of?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#134
Asteroids are also referred to as what?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#135
What are the explosions of energy released by the Sun’s magnetic fields called?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#136
Where is the Asteroid Belt located?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#137
Why isn’t it possible to walk on Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, or Neptune?
Image source: lasp.colorado.edu
#138
Who described Saturn’s rings as the “ears of a teacup?”
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#139
Which star is the Alpha Ursa Minoris?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#140
What do you call a large group of stars, dust, and gas?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#141
Which constellation represents a hunter and weapons?
Image source: space.com
#142
Which astrological sign becomes visible starting January 21st?
Image source: hindustantimes.com
#143
What is the polarity reversal of the Sun?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#144
Vesta is which type of celestial body?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#145
What is a highly magnetized rotating neutron star?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#146
How many constellations are there?
Image source: lpi.usra.edu
#147
Where is the coldest place in the universe?
Image source: space.com
#148
How many Moons are currently in our solar system?
Image source: solarsystem.nasa.gov
#149
What is the distance between Venus and Earth?
Image source: space.com
#150
What is the Moon’s surface like?
Image source: space.com
#151
Who was the first to discover the rules of planetary motion?
Image source: earthobservatory.nasa.gov
#152
How long did the shortest space flight last?
Image source: guinnessworldrecords.com
#153
What is the name for a comet’s appearance?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
#154
Which planet has a Moon that is two-toned?
Image source: space.com
#155
Who invented astronomy?
Image source: en.wikipedia.org
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