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Quiz about Largest Satellites of the Solar System Part 1

Largest Satellites of the Solar System, Part 1 Quiz

This is the first part of a quiz concerning moons in the Solar System that are large enough to be rounded by their own gravity.

A multiple-choice quiz by jonthomas. Estimated time: 5 mins.

Author
jonthomas

Time
5 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
358,455

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
6 / 10

Plays
407

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Everyone has seen Earth's own moon, simply named the Moon. Which of these is not a "sea" on the Moon? Hint

Moscow Sea

Sea of Winds

Sea of Nectar

Sea of Clouds

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Question 2 of 10

2. One of these moons was originally called "the fourth star of Louis". Which one? Hint

Dione

The Moon

Callisto

Titania

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Question 3 of 10

3. The moon Titan is unique in the fact that it has an atmosphere. In fact, its atmosphere is thicker than Earth's! This even allows for a liquid form of what substance to exist? Hint

Water

Methane

Nitrogen

Ammonia

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Question 4 of 10

4. This moon is one of the most popular places for astronomers to hypothesize extraterrestrial life, due to its repeatedly being compressed and stretched by the planet it orbits. Hint

Titan

Europa

Oberon

Tethys

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Question 5 of 10

5. What is the most prominent feature on Saturn's moon Iapetus? Hint

A large crater covering much of its body

Occasional cloud cover

One of the tallest known mountains

An equatorial ridge

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Question 6 of 10

6. This moon is the smallest known object discovered before the 20th century that is confirmed to be gravitationally rounded. What is it called? Hint

Enceladus

Mimas

Miranda

Dione

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Question 7 of 10

7. The Saturnian moon Tethys was first imaged up close by what space probe? Hint

Pioneer 11

Viking

Voyager 1

New Horizons

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Question 8 of 10

8. Callisto is the farthest Galilean moon orbiting Jupiter.

True

False

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Question 9 of 10

9. The largest known moon in the Solar System is Ganymede. What does it have that no other known moon does? Hint

An atmosphere

A magnetic field

Liquid

Water ice

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Question 10 of 10

10. This moon is thought to be the most volcanically active object in the Solar System. Hint

Europa

Rhea

Triton

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Everyone has seen Earth's own moon, simply named the Moon. Which of these is not a "sea" on the Moon?

Answer: Sea of Winds

The Moon is tidally locked with Earth, meaning it always presents the same face to us. Both the Seas of Nectar and Clouds are on the Earth-facing side of the Moon, while the Moscow Sea is on the side facing away.

2. One of these moons was originally called "the fourth star of Louis". Which one?

Answer: Dione

When Giovanni Cassini discovered four of Saturn's largest moons, he named them the Stars of Louis, to honor King Louis XIV. These moons, including Dione, were not given their official names until the 1800s, several centuries after they were discovered.

3. The moon Titan is unique in the fact that it has an atmosphere. In fact, its atmosphere is thicker than Earth's! This even allows for a liquid form of what substance to exist?

Answer: Methane

There are flowing rivers and even seas of methane on Titan, and it can also rain from the clouds covering the surface.

4. This moon is one of the most popular places for astronomers to hypothesize extraterrestrial life, due to its repeatedly being compressed and stretched by the planet it orbits.

Answer: Europa

Europa is constantly being stretched by Jupiter's gravity, which would heat up the inside of the moon. This action may create a subsurface ocean of liquid water underneath its icy surface, and this may be able to support simple life.

5. What is the most prominent feature on Saturn's moon Iapetus?

Answer: An equatorial ridge

Because of this, it is thought that Iapetus may have once had a moon of its own, possibly in an unstable binary system.

6. This moon is the smallest known object discovered before the 20th century that is confirmed to be gravitationally rounded. What is it called?

Answer: Mimas

Mimas, a moon of Saturn, is about 250 kilometers in diameter. The moon Proteus, which orbits Neptune, is actually larger and more massive, though it is not gravitationally rounded due to its colder temperature.

7. The Saturnian moon Tethys was first imaged up close by what space probe?

Answer: Pioneer 11

To be precise, Pioneer 11 made its closest approach on September 1, 1979. It was about 329,197 kilometers away from Tethys.

8. Callisto is the farthest Galilean moon orbiting Jupiter.

Answer: True

Callisto is approximately 1,882,710 kilometers away from Jupiter on average. The next farthest moon, Ganymede, is on average 1,071,600 kilometers away.

9. The largest known moon in the Solar System is Ganymede. What does it have that no other known moon does?

Answer: A magnetic field

Due to having a differentiated core, Ganymede generates its very own magnetosphere, though it is made largely insignificant by Jupiter's much stronger magnetic field.

10. This moon is thought to be the most volcanically active object in the Solar System.

Answer: Io

Io is the closest Galilean moon of Jupiter, and as such, its body, like Europa's, is constantly stretched and compressed, though on a far greater level. This causes frequent eruptions, sometimes giving the moon a temporary atmosphere.

Source: Author jonthomas

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor CellarDoor before going online.
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