Charged solar particles hitting the atmosphere

What is a solar flare?

A sudden burst of energy from the Sun

Cooler, darker areas on the Sun

What are gamma-ray bursts?

The most energetic explosions known

Supermassive black holes eating matter

What is the cosmic microwave background?

Leftover glow from the Big Bang

What are fast radio bursts?

Millisecond flashes of radio waves from space

What did astronomers observe in 2017 when two neutron stars merged?

A kilonova with gravitational waves

Cosmic Phenomena Quiz: Places, People and Key Facts

This cosmic phenomena quiz covers auroras, solar flares, sunspots, supernovae, gamma-ray bursts, pulsars, quasars, fast radio bursts and the cosmic microwave background. Ten questions on places, people and key facts about the universe's most dramatic events.

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🎯 Daily Trivia Challenge • 🧠 10 Questions • ⏱️ 150 Seconds

Question 1 / 10 Time: 150s

Aurora
What causes auroras?
Flares
What is a solar flare?
Sunspots
What are sunspots?
GRB
What are gamma-ray bursts?
Quasars
What powers quasars?
Pulsar
Who discovered the first pulsar in 1967?
CMB
What is the cosmic microwave background?
FRB
What are fast radio bursts?
Storm
Which 1859 solar storm disrupted telegraphs worldwide?
Kilonova
What did astronomers observe in 2017 when two neutron stars merged?

Explanations: answer key for all 10 questions

Q1: What causes auroras?
Answer: Charged solar particles hitting the atmosphere
They glow near the poles.
Q2: What is a solar flare?
Answer: A sudden burst of energy from the Sun
Strong flares can disrupt radio and satellites.
Q3: What are sunspots?
Answer: Cooler, darker areas on the Sun
They follow an 11-year cycle.
Q4: What are gamma-ray bursts?
Answer: The most energetic explosions known
They may come from collapsing stars.
Q5: What powers quasars?
Answer: Supermassive black holes eating matter
They can outshine whole galaxies.
Q6: Who discovered the first pulsar in 1967?
Answer: Jocelyn Bell Burnell
It was first nicknamed LGM-1.
Q7: What is the cosmic microwave background?
Answer: Leftover glow from the Big Bang
It was discovered in 1965.
Q8: What are fast radio bursts?
Answer: Millisecond flashes of radio waves from space
Some come from magnetars.
Q9: Which 1859 solar storm disrupted telegraphs worldwide?
Answer: Carrington Event
Auroras were seen near the tropics.
Q10: What did astronomers observe in 2017 when two neutron stars merged?
Answer: A kilonova with gravitational waves
It produced heavy elements like gold.

Cosmic Phenomena Quiz – Fireworks of the Universe

The universe is full of dramatic events. Closer to home, the Sun produces flares and storms that create auroras and can affect satellites and power grids, as in the 1859 Carrington Event.

Farther away, stars explode as supernovae, neutron stars spin as pulsars and supermassive black holes power quasars brighter than entire galaxies. Gamma-ray bursts release more energy in seconds than the Sun will in its lifetime.

Astronomers also detect the faint afterglow of the Big Bang and mysterious fast radio bursts. In 2017, a neutron star merger was seen in both gravitational waves and light, showing where gold and platinum come from.

What This Quiz Teaches

This quiz is for space fans exploring cosmic phenomena.

What causes auroras
What solar flares are
What powers quasars
What the CMB is
What the Carrington Event was

Did You Know?

Magnetars have the strongest magnetic fields.
Auroras occur on Jupiter and Saturn too.
Supernova 1987A was seen with the naked eye.
Solar maximum brings more auroras.
The Wow! signal was detected in 1977.