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ASTR 100 SPRING ACTUAL
QUESTIONS 2026 WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS.
The Goldilock's planets that were recently discovered:
a) Are in the habitable zone of their stars.
b) Are in our solar system.
c) Rotate approximately every 10 hours (like Jupiter)
d) All of the above. - correct answer-a) Are in the habitable
zone of their stars.
Life is less likely to be found around a star that is much heavier
that the Sun because:
a) The star will not live for very long.
b) The star will be too hot.
c) The blue color of the star prevents life from evolving.
d) In order to have water on the surface, the planet would have
to be very close to the star.
e) All of the above. - correct answer-a) The star will not live for
very long.
The main goal of SETI is to:
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a) Send humans back to the Moon.
b) Detect radio signals from intelligent life on other planets.
c) Discover extrasolar planets.d) Find planets suitable for
spacecraft from Earth to visit. - correct answer-b) Detect radio
signals from intelligent life on other planets.
The Habitable Zone is:
a) The region where stars do not get sucked into the black hole
at the center of the galaxy
b) The region around a star where liquid water can exist on the
surface of a planet
c) The region on Earth where life can exist.
d) The region in our solar system that does not get hit by
asteroids. - correct answer-b) The region around a star where
liquid water can exist on the surface of a planet
Which of these is NOT true about extrasolar planets?
a) The Kepler Mission has found many new extrasolar planet
candidates.
b) Extrasolar planets are planets orbiting stars other than the
Sun.
c) Extrasolar planets can be found by noticing a star dim when
a planet passes in front of it.
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d) All the extrasolar planets found so far are much smaller than
the Earth. - correct answer-d) All the extrasolar planets found
so far are much smaller than the Earth.
Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone of stars like our Sun
are:
a) Extremely rare - probably less than 1% of stars have such
planets.
b) Fairly common - about 22% of stars have such planets.
c) Very common - every star must have at least 1 such planet.
d) No such planets will ever exist. - correct answer-b) Fairly
common - about 22% of stars have such planets.
What is the Arecibo message?
a) A radio signal humans sent out into space to tell other life
forms about us.
b) A sign describing what humans look like that is placed on a
probe that is flying out of our solar system.
c) A signal received from near Proxima Centauri that some
people believe came from intelligent life.
d) A daily podcast announcing cool news in astronomy and
giving tips on cooking French food. - correct answer-a) A radio
signal humans sent out into space to tell other life forms about
us.
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The next step in extrasolar planet studies is to:
a) Design space craft to fly to nearby extrasolar planets.
b) Try to find the largest extrasolar planets --- ones that are
almost as large as our Sun.
c) Look for extrasolar planets very close to hot stars --- average
temperatures on these planets would be 1000 degrees.
d) Look at atmospheres of extrasolar planets to search for
signs of life. - correct answer-d) Look at atmospheres of
extrasolar planets to search for signs of life.
The Andromeda Galaxy:
a) Is in the same galaxy cluster/group as the Milky Way.
b) Is getting closer to the Milky Way.
c) Is the closest major spiral galaxy to the Milky Way.
d) All of the above. - correct answer-d) All of the above.
Which of the following is true?
a) Astrobiology is the study of life in the deepest parts of the
Earth's oceans.
b) "Hot Jupiters" are small extrasolar planets that are always
very far from the star they orbit.
c) Mercury and the moon were ruled out as places to look for
life because they had no atmosphere.
ASTR 100 SPRING ACTUAL
QUESTIONS 2026 WITH VERIFIED
ANSWERS.
The Goldilock's planets that were recently discovered:
a) Are in the habitable zone of their stars.
b) Are in our solar system.
c) Rotate approximately every 10 hours (like Jupiter)
d) All of the above. - correct answer-a) Are in the habitable
zone of their stars.
Life is less likely to be found around a star that is much heavier
that the Sun because:
a) The star will not live for very long.
b) The star will be too hot.
c) The blue color of the star prevents life from evolving.
d) In order to have water on the surface, the planet would have
to be very close to the star.
e) All of the above. - correct answer-a) The star will not live for
very long.
The main goal of SETI is to:
, Page | 2
a) Send humans back to the Moon.
b) Detect radio signals from intelligent life on other planets.
c) Discover extrasolar planets.d) Find planets suitable for
spacecraft from Earth to visit. - correct answer-b) Detect radio
signals from intelligent life on other planets.
The Habitable Zone is:
a) The region where stars do not get sucked into the black hole
at the center of the galaxy
b) The region around a star where liquid water can exist on the
surface of a planet
c) The region on Earth where life can exist.
d) The region in our solar system that does not get hit by
asteroids. - correct answer-b) The region around a star where
liquid water can exist on the surface of a planet
Which of these is NOT true about extrasolar planets?
a) The Kepler Mission has found many new extrasolar planet
candidates.
b) Extrasolar planets are planets orbiting stars other than the
Sun.
c) Extrasolar planets can be found by noticing a star dim when
a planet passes in front of it.
, Page | 3
d) All the extrasolar planets found so far are much smaller than
the Earth. - correct answer-d) All the extrasolar planets found
so far are much smaller than the Earth.
Earth-sized planets in the habitable zone of stars like our Sun
are:
a) Extremely rare - probably less than 1% of stars have such
planets.
b) Fairly common - about 22% of stars have such planets.
c) Very common - every star must have at least 1 such planet.
d) No such planets will ever exist. - correct answer-b) Fairly
common - about 22% of stars have such planets.
What is the Arecibo message?
a) A radio signal humans sent out into space to tell other life
forms about us.
b) A sign describing what humans look like that is placed on a
probe that is flying out of our solar system.
c) A signal received from near Proxima Centauri that some
people believe came from intelligent life.
d) A daily podcast announcing cool news in astronomy and
giving tips on cooking French food. - correct answer-a) A radio
signal humans sent out into space to tell other life forms about
us.
, Page | 4
The next step in extrasolar planet studies is to:
a) Design space craft to fly to nearby extrasolar planets.
b) Try to find the largest extrasolar planets --- ones that are
almost as large as our Sun.
c) Look for extrasolar planets very close to hot stars --- average
temperatures on these planets would be 1000 degrees.
d) Look at atmospheres of extrasolar planets to search for
signs of life. - correct answer-d) Look at atmospheres of
extrasolar planets to search for signs of life.
The Andromeda Galaxy:
a) Is in the same galaxy cluster/group as the Milky Way.
b) Is getting closer to the Milky Way.
c) Is the closest major spiral galaxy to the Milky Way.
d) All of the above. - correct answer-d) All of the above.
Which of the following is true?
a) Astrobiology is the study of life in the deepest parts of the
Earth's oceans.
b) "Hot Jupiters" are small extrasolar planets that are always
very far from the star they orbit.
c) Mercury and the moon were ruled out as places to look for
life because they had no atmosphere.
