- 1. The discovery of Pluto, a distant celestial body in our solar system, took place on February 18, 1930, when astronomer Clyde Tombaugh, working at the Lowell Observatory in Arizona, identified it while conducting a systematic search for a ninth planet, then dubbed 'Planet X'. Tombaugh employed a technique known as 'comparative astrophotography', taking two photographs of the same region of the night sky within a few days and comparing them for moving objects. Upon verification, the object was named Pluto, after the Roman god of the underworld, fitting for a planet so far from the Sun. Over the decades, Pluto was considered the ninth planet in our solar system, captivating the imaginations of astronomers and the public alike. However, as telescopic technology advanced, particularly with the discovery of other trans-Neptunian objects similar in size and composition to Pluto - notably Eris in 2005 - the astronomical community began to reevaluate what constituted a planet. This culminated in the International Astronomical Union's definition of a planet in 2006, which excluded Pluto from the ranks of planets, reclassifying it as a 'dwarf planet'. This decision was met with significant public and academic debate, prompting discussions about the nature of planetary classification and the criteria used to determine what an actual planet is. Pluto's reclassification sparked a renewed interest in the outer reaches of our solar system and the myriad of bodies that inhabit it, leading to ongoing exploration and research, including NASA's New Horizons mission that flew by Pluto in 2015, providing unprecedented images and data, rekindling the affection and curiosity surrounding the former ninth planet.
Who discovered Pluto?
A) Carl Sagan
B) Albert Einstein
C) Clyde Tombaugh
D) Percival Lowell
- 2. In what year was Pluto discovered?
A) 1940
B) 1920
C) 1930
D) 1950
- 3. Which organization reclassified Pluto as a dwarf planet?
A) NASA
B) International Astronomical Union
C) ESA
D) NASA's Planetary Society
- 4. What year did Pluto lose its status as a planet?
A) 2010
B) 1995
C) 2006
D) 2000
- 5. What is Pluto's largest moon called?
A) Europa
B) Titan
C) Ganymede
D) Charon
- 6. Pluto orbits the Sun at an average distance of what?
A) 59.5 AU
B) 49.5 AU
C) 29.5 AU
D) 39.5 AU
- 7. Which spacecraft visited Pluto in 2015?
A) New Horizons
B) Curiosity
C) Pioneer 10
D) Voyager 2
- 8. On what date did New Horizons fly by Pluto?
A) July 4, 2015
B) June 14, 2015
C) July 14, 2015
D) August 12, 2015
- 9. What is the primary composition of Pluto's surface?
A) Rock
B) Carbon dioxide ice
C) Water ice
D) Nitrogen ice
- 10. What is the estimated diameter of Pluto?
A) 2,377 kilometers
B) 3,000 kilometers
C) 1,500 kilometers
D) 2,000 kilometers
- 11. Which of the following is a region inhabited by Pluto and similar bodies?
A) Asteroid Belt
B) Kuiper Belt
C) Heliosphere
D) Oort Cloud
- 12. Pluto has how many known moons?
A) Five
B) Two
C) Three
D) Seven
- 13. What is the time it takes Pluto to complete one orbit around the Sun?
A) 84 years
B) 248 years
C) 365 days
D) 50 years
- 14. Before its reclassification, Pluto was referred to as what?
A) Tenth planet
B) Second moon
C) First dwarf planet
D) Ninth planet
- 15. Pluto's atmosphere primarily contains which gas?
A) Carbon dioxide
B) Oxygen
C) Methane
D) Nitrogen
- 16. How was Pluto's atmosphere discovered?
A) By telescopic imaging
B) During a stellar occultation
C) Through a direct landing
D) With ground-based radar
- 17. What is the primary objective of the New Horizons mission?
A) Observe Jupiter's moons
B) Investigate asteroids
C) Study Mars
D) Explore Pluto and the Kuiper Belt
- 18. Which of the following spacecraft visited Pluto prior to New Horizons?
A) Voyager 1
B) None
C) Pioneer 10
D) Voyager 2
- 19. Which observatory was used to discover Pluto?
A) Lowell Observatory
B) Kitt Peak Observatory
C) Mount Wilson Observatory
D) Palomar Observatory
- 20. What is the main reason Pluto was reclassified?
A) It is too small
B) It does not clear its orbit
C) It is too cold
D) It has no moons
- 21. Who proposed the existence of Planet X, which led to the search for Pluto?
A) Clyde Tombaugh
B) Neil deGrasse Tyson
C) Percival Lowell
D) Carl Sagan
- 22. In what constellation was Pluto discovered?
A) Ursa Major
B) Gemini
C) Orion
D) Canis Major
- 23. What did the New Horizons mission discover about Pluto's surface?
A) It has no geological activity
B) It is barren and lifeless
C) It is entirely smooth
D) It has diverse geological features
- 24. What did Pluto's discovery contribute to astronomy?
A) It proved planets were larger than stars
B) It expanded our understanding of the solar system
C) It established a fixed number of planets
D) It confirmed the existence of all planets
- 25. Which object was discovered in the Kuiper Belt that contributed to Pluto's reclassification?
A) Haumea
B) Sedna
C) Eris
D) Makemake
- 26. Before the discovery of Pluto, which planet was considered the outermost planet?
A) Neptune
B) Uranus
C) Mars
D) Saturn
- 27. Pluto's orbit is tilted at what angle compared to the ecliptic plane?
A) 17 degrees
B) 10 degrees
C) 30 degrees
D) 25 degrees
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