Get ready for Brainscape's ultimate astronomy flashcard quiz. What type of celestial body, left over from the formation of our own solar system, is made up of silicate materials and metals and is smaller than a planet. Asteroid What landmark historical event occurred on July 20th, 1969? The first human set foot on the moon. What celestial body releases gas or dust and is made up of ice and other materials left over from the Big Bang? A comment What was the first satellite launched by humans on October 4th, 1957? Sputnik 1 What event believed to have occurred 13.8 billion years ago may mark the inception of our universe? The Big Bang Which 20th century American scientist and author gained widespread popularity for his 1980 television series Cosmos, a personal voyage and its accompanying book by the same name? Carl Sagan Which Italian physicist and philosopher was an early supporter of heliocentrism in which the Sun is the center of the solar system, made significant improvements to the telescope and discovered the moons of Jupiter. Galileo Galilei Which Greek Roman philosopher is the creator of the Tola meic model of the universe, which had Earth at its center and which persisted for nearly two millennia? Claudios Tola me Which two elements are stars mostly made of? Hydrogen Helium Which Renaissance Polish astronomer argued that the Earth revolves around the Sun displacing the Earth from the center of the universe? Nicolau's Copernicus At what altitude above Earth's surface does space officially start? 62 miles or 100 kilometers In order of distance from the Sun, what of the four inner terrestrial planets of our solar system? Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars? In order of distance from the Sun, what of the four outer gas giant planets of our solar system? Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune? What is the largest planet in our solar system? Jupiter What is the smallest planet in our solar system? Mercury What is our nearest neighboring galaxy? The Andromeda galaxy What do astronomers call stars that die in a powerful explosion? Supernovas What is the term for a large, dead star that is so dense, not even light can escape its gravitational pull? A black hole Which well-known star is formerly called Polaris and can be found in the Ursa Minor or Little Bear constellation? The North Star What is the brightest star in our night sky? Serious How long does it take the Sun's rays to reach Earth? Eight minutes, twenty seconds What is the term for bits of space debris that burn up in the Earth's atmosphere, appearing to us as bright streaks of light? Meteors What were the first living creatures intentionally sent into space? Fruitflies What are we seeing when we look up at the concentrated band of stars that stretches across the sky at night? The Milky Way Galaxy Loving our flashcard quizzes? Keep studying in the BrainScape app