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Astronomy

Science 2,224 clues
Practice Astronomy

Overview

Astronomy is one of Jeopardy!'s most consistent science topics, with roughly 1,561 clues and 49 Final Jeopardy appearances spanning every era of the show. Unlike many topics that skew toward the Jeopardy round, Astronomy leans Double Jeopardy (about 906 DJ clues versus 606 J clues) meaning the show treats it as a subject that rewards genuine knowledge at higher dollar values.

The answer pool is dominated by planets to a remarkable degree. The top eight answers are all planets: Venus (71), Mars (65), Mercury (48), Neptune (47), Saturn (46), Jupiter (43), Pluto (40), and Uranus (33). After that come constellations, Orion (18), Aquarius (14), Gemini (10), Taurus (9), Galileo (9), Andromeda (9), and a spread of zodiac signs. The topic splits cleanly into three sub-areas: the solar system (planets, moons, comets), the night sky (constellations, stars, zodiac), and space science (astronomers, telescopes, phenomena).

The gimmes: Mars (65 clues, 86% correct), Jupiter (43 clues, 86% correct), Mercury (48, 84%), Saturn (46, 82%), Pluto (40, 82%), Venus (71, 80%), Sirius (6, 100%), Orion (18, 94%), Andromeda (9, 100%), the Milky Way (9, 88%), Halley's Comet (7, 100%), Copernicus (5, 100%), a black hole (8, 100%).

The stumper zone: Uranus (33 clues, only 48% correct: the hardest planet by a wide margin), a new moon (2 clues, 40% correct), Scorpio (6, 44% correct), Neptune (47, 65%), comets (8, 67%), Cancer (7, 67%), Cygnus (5, 71%).

Category patterns: The generic "ASTRONOMY" category accounts for 472 clues, nearly a third of all clues. "THE PLANETS" (163), "CONSTELLATIONS" (97), "THE SOLAR SYSTEM" (73), "MAN IN SPACE" (73), and "ASTROLOGY" (71) round out the major categories. Note that astrology clues (zodiac signs) are mapped here because they test the same constellation knowledge.

Study strategy: Master the planets first: they account for nearly 400 of the 1,500+ clues. Learn what makes each planet distinctive (distance from Sun, size, moons, rings, discovery history, mythology). Then learn the major constellations and their brightest stars. Finally, study the astronomers (Galileo, Copernicus, Kepler, Ptolemy) and space phenomena (eclipses, comets, supernovae). For Final Jeopardy, focus on planetary moons, constellation mythology, and discovery stories; these dominate the 49 FJ appearances.


The Inner Planets

Venus, The Undisputed Champion

~71 clues · 80% correct

Venus is the single most common answer in all of Astronomy, appearing more than any other planet by a significant margin. The show clues it from several angles:

Brightness and visibility: Venus is the third-brightest object in the sky (after the Sun and the Moon), and this fact appears in clues constantly. "At its brightest it can be seen in daylight." "To us, it's brighter than any other planet or any star." The 1984 FJ clue asked for "the brightest astronomical object regularly seen in our sky" after the Sun and Moon; the answer was Venus.

Morning Star / Evening Star: Venus is visible both before sunrise and after sunset, earning it the names "Morning Star" and "Evening Star." Ancient civilizations didn't realize these were the same object. This dual-identity angle is a favorite clue device.

Earth's twin: Venus's equatorial diameter is only about 400 miles less than Earth's. Clues frequently describe it as Earth's "sister" or "twin" planet, then add a twist; its surface temperature exceeds 800 degrees Fahrenheit due to a runaway greenhouse effect, making it the hottest planet despite not being closest to the Sun.

Surface features: The Maxwell Montes region contains the highest point on Venus. The planet rotates backward (retrograde rotation), so the Sun rises in the west. A day on Venus is longer than its year.

FJ appearance (2006): "The 2 planets in our solar system that have atmospheres made up mostly of carbon dioxide" Venus and Mars.

Watch out: Venus's 80% correct rate means one in five contestants still gets it wrong. The hardest Venus clues involve its atmosphere, rotation direction, or surface geography rather than its brightness.

Mars, The Red Planet

~65 clues · 86% correct

Mars is the second most common answer, and with 86% accuracy it's one of the most reliable gimmes. The show clues it through:

Physical features: "Its volcano Olympus Mons is the highest mountain in the solar system." The Valles Marineris canyon system. The red color comes from iron oxide (rust) on its surface.

Exploration history: Percival Lowell's 1908 book proposed that surface markings were irrigation canals. The Soviet and U.S. probe histories, "The first Soviet spacecraft to land on it transmitted for 20 seconds; the first U.S. craft, for 6 years." Viking, Pathfinder, Curiosity, and Perseverance rovers.

Moons: Mars has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos, named for the Greek gods of fear and dread, sons of Ares (the Greek equivalent of Mars). The 2016 FJ asked about Phobos: "Its name means 'fear', and this moon orbits closest to a planet's surface of any moon in the solar system." The 2022 FJ asked about both: "Discovered in 1877, they were named for siblings of the Greek god of love" Phobos and Deimos.

Pop culture hooks: "After Veronica; before Blackmon" (Bruno Mars). The show occasionally sneaks Mars in through non-astronomy categories.

Mercury, The Speedy Messenger

~48 clues · 84% correct

Mercury is clued through speed, extremes, and mythology:

Speed and orbit: "Averaging 30 miles a second on its orbit, it's a very fast planet." Mercury has the shortest orbital period at 88 days. It shares its name with the swift Roman messenger god; and with the liquid metal (it has a liquid core, discovered in 2007).

Temperature extremes: Mercury has two "hot poles" that can reach 800 degrees Fahrenheit, yet temperatures on the dark side plunge to nearly -300 degrees. No atmosphere to distribute heat.

Historical names: "In ancient Greece it was called Apollo" (when seen in the morning) and Hermes (in the evening), before people realized it was one object; the same pattern as Venus.

Size: Mercury is the smallest planet (after Pluto's demotion). The 2009 FJ asked for moons larger than Mercury, Ganymede and Titan.

Watch out: Mercury clues often pivot on the double meaning, planet vs. element vs. Roman god. At 84% correct, it's reliable, but the DJ clues about its physical properties can trip up contestants who only know the mythology angle.


The Outer Planets & Dwarf Planets

Neptune, The Hidden Giant

~47 clues · 65% correct

Neptune is the fourth most common astronomy answer but the second-hardest planet at 65% correct. Its difficulty stems from clues about its discovery and physical properties, facts fewer contestants have memorized.

Discovery story: "Based on the calculations of a French mathematician, Johann Galle discovered this planet in 1846." Neptune was predicted mathematically before it was observed, Urbain Le Verrier calculated its position from perturbations in Uranus's orbit. The 2019 FJ explores the naming controversy: "For a while in the 1840s, the French wanted to name this new discovery 'Le Verrier' and the British wanted 'Oceanus.'"

Orbital quirk: "From 1979 to 1999 it was the planet in our solar system farthest from the sun" because Pluto's eccentric orbit briefly brought it closer than Neptune. The 2012 FJ: "In July 2011 it completed its first orbit around the Sun since its discovery in 1846."

Moons and features: Triton, Neptune's largest satellite, has a surface temperature of about -390 degrees Fahrenheit. "As you can guess, a satellite named Nereid, a sea nymph, circles this planet."

The smallest giant: The 1989 FJ called it "the smallest of the 4 giant planets."

Watch out: Neptune is a major stumper at 35% wrong. Contestants confuse it with Uranus (both are ice giants, both were discovered in modern times). Know the discovery story, it's the key differentiator.

Saturn, Lord of the Rings

~46 clues · 82% correct

Saturn clues revolve around its ring system and moons:

Rings: "Its ring system is more than 170,000 miles in diameter, but only about a mile thick." The rings were first observed by Galileo in 1610, though he didn't understand what he was seeing; the 1998 FJ asked for the century. Saturn's smallest moon, Pan, orbits within the Encke division of the A-Ring.

Ancient knowledge: The 1987 FJ: "Since it can be seen with the naked eye, it was the farthest planet away from the Sun known to the ancients."

Moons: Titan is Saturn's largest moon. The 2016 FJ: "The name of this moon refers to the mythical group that its planet's name belonged to" Titan (the Titans). The 2009 FJ also references Titan as one of two moons larger than Mercury.

Pop culture: "Car line first sold by GM in 1990." "In the '90s video game competitors ran rings around this Sega console."

Jupiter, The King

~43 clues · 86% correct

Jupiter is the largest planet and a reliable gimme:

Size superlatives: "The equatorial diameter of this planet, 88,700 miles, is about 11 times that of the earth." "This largest planet is also the fastest-spinning" its day is just 10 hours long. It has the solar system's largest moon (Ganymede).

Galilean moons: "The 4 largest moons of this planet are called Galilean satellites after Galileo, who saw them in 1610." The 2009 FJ: "In 1610 Galileo called the moons of this planet the 'Medician stars', for the Medici brothers."

Rings: "In 1979 Voyager 1 discovered that this large body has rings, just like Saturn and Uranus."

Most moons: The 1997 FJ: "Most of this planet's moons are named for Shakespearean characters" that's actually Uranus, not Jupiter. This is a classic FJ misdirection to watch for.

Uranus, The Great Stumper

~33 clues · only 48% correct

Uranus has the worst accuracy rate of any planet by far. Barely half of contestants who buzz in get it right. This makes it one of Astronomy's biggest traps.

Discovery: "In 1781 it became the first planet discovered in modern times." William Herschel found it, and it had been noticed for a century before but was thought to be a star. The 1989 FJ: "This planet is named for the original god of the sky in Greek mythology." The 1990 FJ: "It's the first planet whose discoverer is known."

Shakespearean moons: Nearly all of Uranus's moons are named for Shakespeare characters, Oberon, Titania, Portia, Juliet, Ariel, Miranda. "A list of this planet's moons reads like a who's who of Shakespeare." The 1997 FJ used this exact angle.

Pronunciation problem: "In Polish, this planet with 28 known moons is 2 letters shorter than in English and presents no pronunciation dilemmas" a sly acknowledgment of why contestants avoid buzzing in.

Watch out: Uranus at 48% correct is the #1 planet stumper. When a clue mentions "first planet discovered with a telescope," "Shakespearean moons," or "1781," the answer is Uranus. Contestants seem to avoid it out of embarrassment or simply don't know its distinctive features.

Pluto, The Demoted Ninth

~40 clues · 82% correct

Pluto remains a major answer despite its 2006 reclassification as a dwarf planet, because most of its clues predate the change.

Discovery and moon: "Discovered in 1930, this body has an estimated diameter of only 1,473 miles." Its moon Charon is "appropriately named after the boatman" Charon ferried souls across the River Styx, and Pluto is the god of the underworld. Three FJ appearances focused on Pluto and Charon (1986, 1987, 2003).

Eccentric orbit: "It has the most eccentric orbit of the 9 major planets." "Moving at 2.9 miles per second, this planet has the slowest orbital speed." It takes 248 years to complete one orbit.

Surface features: The 2018 FJ: "Features on this body include Tombaugh Regio and Sleipnir Fossa, named for a horse that carried Odin to the underworld." Tombaugh Regio is named for Pluto's discoverer, Clyde Tombaugh.

Status change: Post-2006 clues sometimes reference the demotion, but the answer remains "Pluto" regardless of its current classification.


Stars, Constellations & the Night Sky

Orion, The Hunter

~18 clues · 94% correct

Orion is the most-tested constellation and almost always correct when attempted:

Mythology: "This constellation named for the son of Poseidon and Euryale is known as 'The Hunter.'" His hunting dogs, Canis Major and Canis Minor, are positioned at his heels. The 2012 FJ ties Orion to his mythological killer: "In Greek myth he became the prey when he was killed by Scorpius; now they're both in the sky."

The Orion Nebula: "In the 'Sword' of this constellation is a 24 light-year-wide cloud of dust and gas." The 2021 FJ: "As Huygens observed in 1656, a weapon in this constellation contains a nebula, one of a few that can be seen with the naked eye."

Belt star: The 2004 FJ: "The name of Mintaka, a star in this constellation, is from the Arabic for 'belt'" Orion.

Meteor shower: Dust released by Halley's Comet causes the Orionids meteor shower each October.

The Zodiac Constellations

The zodiac is a major sub-theme with strong category support (71 "ASTROLOGY" clues, 97 "CONSTELLATIONS" clues). All twelve signs appear, but some are tested far more than others:

Aquarius (14 clues, 81%), "The Sumerians believed it represented their sky-god, An, pouring waters of immortality upon the Earth." Often clued through its water-bearer symbolism. Abbreviated "Aqr."

Gemini (10 clues, 83%), "Castor and Pollux are the 2 brightest stars in this constellation." A fine meteor shower comes from Gemini each December. The 1988 FJ: "It's the only traditional sign of the zodiac with a total of 4 legs and no tail."

Taurus (9 clues, 100%), A perfect record. "A cluster of stars called the Hyades forms the face of this constellation." Its brightest star is Aldebaran, "the eye of the bull." The Pleiades appear to ride on the bull's back. A 1054 supernova occurred in Taurus, creating the Crab Nebula.

Leo (8 clues, 78%), "Each November debris from Comet Tempel-Tuttle produces a meteor shower that streams across this lion." The greatest Leonid meteor showers occur every 33 years.

Libra (8 clues, 100%), Another perfect record. Often clued as "the scales" or as the only zodiac sign represented by an inanimate object.

Aries (7 clues, 75%), Cancer (7 clues, 67%), Sagittarius (6 clues, 86%), Scorpio (6 clues, 44%), Pisces (5 clues, 80%), Virgo (5 clues, 67%), Capricorn (3 clues, 67%).

Watch out: Scorpio at 44% correct is the hardest zodiac sign. Cancer, Virgo, and Capricorn also trip up contestants. The 2018 FJ tested Pisces: "This Zodiac constellation includes 2 lines (or strings) that terminate in a star called Alrescha, the knot." The 1987 FJ tested Pisces too: "While Gemini is represented by 2 humans, this sign is represented by a pair of animals."

Andromeda

~9 clues · 100% correct

A perfect gimme. "Most distant object the human eye can see unaided" is the classic clue. Also clued through mythology: "This constellation of a lady chained to a rock contains the nearby M31 galaxy." The 1987 FJ paired it with Cassiopeia as "mother and daughter in mythology, adjacent in the sky."

The Milky Way

~9 clues · 88% correct

"Our solar system is in the Orion arm of this galaxy." "The center of this, our home galaxy, is near the constellation Sagittarius." Almost always clued through the solar system's position within it.

Key Stars

Sirius (6 clues, 100%), "Also known as the Dog Star, it's the brightest star in the night sky." Located in Canis Major. The Greek name means "scorcher." A perfect gimme, no contestant has ever missed it.

Polaris (1+ clue), The North Star, in Ursa Minor. "The elevation above the horizon of this star is equal to the observer's latitude." Less frequently tested but important for navigation clues.

Antares, The brightest star in Scorpius. The 2017 FJ: "The brightest star in Scorpius is named this, meaning 'rival' of the god equivalent to Mars." The name literally means "anti-Ares" (rival of Mars) because of its reddish color.

The Big Dipper (3 clues, 100%), "The seven brightest stars of Ursa Major or the Great Bear form this famous pattern." Also known as "the Plow." It appeared in Van Gogh's "Starry Night over the Rhone."

The Southern Cross (5 clues, 100%), "The flags of Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand bear stars in the shape of this constellation" (1987 FJ). Perfect accuracy, but tested less often than northern-hemisphere objects.


Comets, Moons & Space Phenomena

Halley's Comet

~7 clues · 100% correct

A perfect gimme that every contestant gets right, but it appears in both regular play and Final Jeopardy. Key angles:

  • "This comet returned in 1066, the year of the Battle of Hastings" the Bayeux Tapestry depicted its appearance
  • "Dust released by this comet causes the Orionids meteor shower each October"
  • "In 1986 it was discovered that this comet's nucleus was about 9 miles long and about 5 miles across"
  • The 1994 FJ tested a different comet: "It was discovered by a Czechoslovak-born astronomer in March 1973" Comet Kohoutek

Comets in General

~15 clues across variants · 67-78% correct

Comets are clued through their physical composition and etymology: "From Greek 'long-haired,' they have tails up to a hundred million miles." "They have been described as 'dirty snowballs' of dust and ice orbiting the sun." "A coma is found around the head of one of these, which also takes its name from the Greek for 'hair.'" Most meteors in a meteor shower are debris left behind by comets.

The Moon

~14 clues across variants

Moon clues span phases, exploration, and physical properties:

Exploration: "In 1959 the Soviet spacecraft Lunik 3 took the first pictures of its far side." "The first Surveyor probe was sent to this body in 1966 in preparation for the manned landing." Apollo missions dominate, the 1998 FJ asked: "Mission that put the third man on the Moon", Apollo 12. The 1985 FJ: "Lunar sea on which Apollo 11 landed" the Sea of Tranquility.

Physical facts: "Its perigee, the closest it can come to Earth, is 221,456 miles." Selenography is the science of charting its surface features. "H.G. Wells and Yuri Gagarin have geographic features named for them here."

Moon phases: A "new moon" is the completely darkened phase; and at 40% correct, it's a major stumper. Contestants confuse it with other phase terminology.

Astrology angle: "This heavenly body rules the sign of Cancer; perhaps that's what makes Cancerians moody."

Watch out: "A new moon" (40% correct) is the hardest moon-related answer. Contestants often say "full moon" or "crescent" when the clue describes the phase where the moon is invisible.

Eclipses

~12 clues across variants

Solar eclipses are tested more often than lunar eclipses:

  • "The Sun's corona or atmosphere can only be seen with the unaided eye during this" a solar eclipse
  • "During this, irregularities of the moon's edge cause what are called Baily's Beads" a solar eclipse
  • "Of lunar or solar eclipses, the more frequent" solar (counterintuitive, since we see more lunar eclipses from any single location)
  • "In 1504 Columbus scared the locals in Jamaica when he predicted one of these" a lunar eclipse
  • "In 585 B.C. Thales of Miletus accurately predicted one of these" a solar eclipse
  • "2017 is the next year the path of totality of one of these will be over the U.S." a solar eclipse

The Sun

~5 clues · reliable but infrequent

"This closest star in the sky is so bright it usually prevents us from seeing all others." "The photosphere is the surface of this as seen from Earth." "Perihelion refers to the point in the orbit of a planet that's nearest to this body." In 1672 Giovanni Cassini determined the distance from Earth to the Sun, creating the astronomical unit (AU).

Black Holes & Supernovae

A black hole (8 clues, 100%), A perfect gimme. "John Archibald Wheeler popularized this term for an object so dense that not even light can escape." "In 1996 astronomers found a massive one of these at the center of the Milky Way galaxy." "The Schwarzschild radius of one of these is the distance from its center to its event horizon." Karl Schwarzschild's name (literally "black shield" in German) is itself a hint.

A supernova (8 clues across variants, 100%), Also a perfect gimme. "The Crab Nebula is the remnant of one of these explosive events observed in 1054." "In 1987 astronomers got their best look at one of these exploding stars in almost 400 years." "If the star Betelgeuse were to explode and change from a red supergiant to this..."

Famous Astronomers

Galileo (9 clues, 89%), "This Italian spent his last 8 years under house arrest for teaching... the Earth goes around the sun!" "While teaching at the University of Padua in 1610, he discovered 4 moons of Jupiter using a 30-power telescope." "This Italian astronomer died in 1642, the year of Newton's birth."

Copernicus (5 clues, 100%), "In Polish this heliocentric astronomer's name is Mikolaj Kopernik." "He developed his heliocentric theory while a canon at Torun, Poland." Has craters named for him on both the Moon and Mars.

Kepler (3 clues), "The first 2 of this German astronomer's laws of planetary motion appeared in his 1609 work 'Astronomia Nova.'" The Kepler space telescope has discovered about two-thirds of all known exoplanets.

Ptolemy (3 clues), "In the 'Almagest,' this 2nd century Greek astronomer suggested the Earth was the center of the universe." His geocentric model was the standard for 1,400 years.

Asteroids & Meteors

Asteroids (20 clues combined, ~75%), "Sir William Herschel coined this word in 1802 writing, 'They resemble small stars so much...'" (2009 FJ). The asteroid Icarus passes closest to the Sun, named for the mythological figure who flew too close (1988 FJ, 2004 FJ).

Meteors (3 clues), Often confused with meteorites and meteoroids. Meteor showers are named for the constellation they appear to radiate from (Leonids from Leo, Orionids from Orion, Geminids from Gemini).


Final Jeopardy & Study Patterns

FJ Theme: Planetary Moons & Discovery

Planetary moons are the single most common FJ angle for Astronomy, appearing in at least 12 of the 49 FJ clues:

  • Charon orbits Pluto, named for the mythological boatman (3 FJ appearances: 1986, 1987, 2003)
  • Phobos & Deimos orbit Mars, named for Fear and Dread (2 FJ appearances: 2016, 2022)
  • Titan orbits Saturn, named for the mythological Titans (2016 FJ)
  • Ganymede (Jupiter) and Titan (Saturn) are both larger than Mercury (2009 FJ)
  • Galilean moons of Jupiter, Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto (2009 FJ)
  • Shakespearean moons of Uranus, Oberon, Titania, Portia, Juliet, Ariel, Miranda (1997 FJ)

Strategy: Memorize each planet's major moons and their mythological or literary origins. This is the highest-yield FJ preparation for Astronomy.

FJ Theme: Constellation Mythology & Star Names

The second major FJ pattern connects constellations to their mythological stories:

  • Orion killed by Scorpius; both placed in the sky (2012 FJ). Mintaka's name means "belt" in Arabic (2004 FJ). Orion Nebula visible to naked eye (2021 FJ).
  • Cassiopeia & Andromeda: mother and daughter, adjacent in the sky (1987 FJ)
  • Southern Cross appears on flags of Australia, Papua New Guinea, and New Zealand (1987 FJ)
  • Antares in Scorpius means "rival of Mars" due to its red color (2017 FJ)
  • Pisces: two fish connected by strings meeting at the star Alrescha, "the knot" (2018 FJ)
  • Capricorn: brightest star is Deneb Algedi, "Kid's Tail" (2022 FJ)

FJ Theme: Discovery & History

Many FJ clues test the history of astronomical discovery:

  • Uranus: first planet discovered in modern times (1781), named for the Greek sky god (1989, 1990 FJ)
  • Neptune: predicted mathematically, discovered 1846, naming controversy (2012, 2019 FJ)
  • Saturn's rings: first observed in the 17th century by Galileo (1998 FJ)
  • Asteroid: word coined by Herschel in 1802 (2009 FJ)
  • Icarus: asteroid closest to the Sun (1988, 2004 FJ)
  • Pulsars: first one discovered in 1967, jokingly called LGM-1 ("Little Green Men") (2020 FJ)
  • Solstice: means "sun stands still" (1995 FJ)
  • Zodiac: from a Greek phrase meaning "circle of animals" (2001 FJ)

FJ Theme: Space Exploration

A smaller but recurring FJ thread covers the space program:

  • The Enterprise: only Space Shuttle named for a spaceship, only one that never flew in space (1986 FJ)
  • Skylab: Apollo capsule crew took 9 tries to dock with it in 1973 (1989 FJ)
  • Apollo 12: mission that put the third man on the Moon (1998 FJ)
  • Neil Armstrong: America's first civilian in space (1989 FJ)
  • Alan Shepard: only Mercury astronaut to walk on the Moon (1990 FJ)
  • Dwight Eisenhower: president who signed the bill creating NASA (1986 FJ)

The Stumper Reference

Answer Clues Wrong % What trips contestants up
Uranus 33 53% Hardest planet, moons, discovery, mythology all tested
a new moon 2 60% Contestants say "full moon" when clue describes the invisible phase
Scorpio 6 56% Hardest zodiac sign, confused with Scorpius the constellation
Neptune 47 35% Confused with Uranus; discovery story is key differentiator
comets 8 33% Generic "comets" harder than specific "Halley's Comet"
an asteroid 10 33% Confused with meteors and comets
Cancer 7 33% Zodiac sign, contestants forget the crab
Virgo 5 33% Zodiac sign, less distinctive than others
Cygnus 5 29% The Swan; not a zodiac sign, so less studied
Earth 11 27% Counterintuitive as an astronomy answer
Aries 7 25% Zodiac sign, confused with other ram/sheep references
a comet 7 22% "Dirty snowball" clues harder than named-comet clues

Study Priority Checklist

  1. Planets (400+ clues): Learn each planet's key superlative: closest, farthest, largest, smallest, hottest, fastest, most moons, most rings. Know their major moons by name and origin.
  2. Zodiac signs (90+ clues): Memorize all twelve, their symbols, and their brightest stars. Scorpio and Cancer are the stumpers.
  3. Named constellations: Orion (hunter, nebula, belt), Andromeda (galaxy, mythology), Cassiopeia, Canis Major (Sirius), Ursa Major (Big Dipper), Southern Cross (flags).
  4. Astronomers: Galileo (moons of Jupiter, heliocentrism, house arrest), Copernicus (Polish, heliocentric), Kepler (laws of motion, exoplanets), Ptolemy (Almagest, geocentric).
  5. Space phenomena: Eclipse types (Baily's Beads = solar), comet composition ("dirty snowball"), supernova remnants (Crab Nebula = 1054), black holes (Schwarzschild radius).
  6. FJ preparation: Focus on planetary moons and their mythological names; this is the single highest-yield topic for Final Jeopardy in Astronomy.

Gimme Answers

top 50

Memorize these and recognize 39.5% of all Astronomy clues.

#AnswerCountSample Clue
1 Venus 75 I'll bet that more than seven used-up probes will someday orbit this planet
2 Mars 70 Veronica ____, a TV sleuth
3 Freddie Mercury 54 This member of singing royalty said, "Rod Stewart, Elton John & I were going to form a band... called Hair, Nose & Teeth"
4 Neptune 51 There were only 7 known planets in our solar system when John Couch Adams predicted the existence of this one
5 Saturn 51 Rocket used to lift the Apollo program capsules into orbit
6 Pluto 50 Evangeline Adams' 1931 "Astrology for Everyone" has no mention of Earth's or this planet's effects
7 Jupiter 48 Florida town with a park named for Burt Reynolds
8 Uranus 39 Noticed for 100 years, but thought to be a star, this 7th planet was discovered in 1781
9 the Earth 27 This 1931 novel was written by a missionaries' daughter who went on to win a Nobel Prize
10 Orion 22 Mentioned 3 times in the Bible, this constellation is named for a legendary Greek hunter
11 Gemini 21 People of this sign tend to be chatty, like early June babies Anderson Cooper & Amy Schumer, who make their living talking
12 the Moon 21 The mission of the Apollo space program of the 1960s & '70s was to land men on this celestial body
13 Aquarius 18 People born under this sign of the water carrier like to attain knowledge & then "pour it out" for others
14 Halley's Comet 16 Dust released by this comet causes the Orionids meteor shower each October
15 an asteroid 16 On May 31, 2013 a 1.9-mile-wide one of these skimmed by the Earth at a distance of 3.6 million miles
16 Scorpio 13 It may be the sexiest sign, but watch out: its symbol is an animal with a poisonous sting
17 Libra 13 Always seeing both sides equally, it's "the diplomat of the zodiac" & was the sign of Ebenezer Bassett, the USA's first Black diplomat
18 Skylab 12 On its 34,981st orbit, July 11, 1979, it fell to Earth over Western Australia
19 a black hole 12 A type of this astronomical object is named for Karl Schwarzschild; his name should give you a hint
20 Taurus 11 If you had asked President Monroe, "What's your sign?", he should have said this, & that's no bull
21 Pisces 11 This water sign is symbolized by 2 fish swimming in opposite directions
22 asteroids 11 These objects, aka minor planets, range in size from about 20 feet in diameter to around 485 miles in diameter
23 Aries 11 It's your sign if, like Logan Paul, your birthday is on a day noted for pranks
24 Andromeda 11 The constellation Cassiopeia borders Messier 31, also known as this galaxy—look out! It's coming right at us!
25 Virgo 10 One symbol of this sign is a harvest maiden holding a sheaf of wheat
26 Sagittarius 10 This sign of the archer is ruled by Jupiter, which astrologers believe is a friendly planet
27 the sun 10 All that we are came from this unmistakable entity
28 Leo 9 Fans of Malibu beaches & TV's "The Cisco Kid" know this first name of actor Carrillo, matching his sign
29 Galileo 9 In 1609, using a weak 9-power telescope, he discovered that Venus has phases just like our moon
30 comets 9 Kohoutek, Shoemaker-Levy & Halley's are all names for these astronomic objects
31 Nicolaus Copernicus 9 This Pole's "De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium" was published with a disclaimer to avoid charges of heresy
32 the Milky Way 8 Earth is located about 3/5 of the way from the center of this galaxy
33 stars 8 Oh my heavens! In 1706 Danish astronomer Olaus Roemer published a new catalog listing these
34 Cancer 8 The sign America was born under
35 a comet 8 From Greek "long-haired", they have tails up to a hundred million miles
36 Ursa Major 8 This constellation's 7 main stars are called "The Plough" in Britain & "the Big Dipper" in U.S.
37 Sirius 8 The Pup is the companion to this star in Canis Major
38 rings 8 The Cassini Division is a dark gap between these structures orbiting the sixth planet
39 a solar eclipse 8 Baily's beads are dots of sunlight seen through the Moon's peaks & valleys during these events
40 galaxies 7 From Greek for "milk", a system of stars such as the Milky Way
41 Capricorn 7 Think of the 4-letter acronym describing Muhammad Ali & it makes sense this was his sign
42 the Southern Cross 7 This well-known So. Hemisphere constellation appears on flags of Australia & New Zealand
43 a supernova 7 ( Jimmy of the Clue Crew shows an astronomical simulation on the monitor.) If the star Betelgeuse were to explode & change from a red super giant to t...
44 Mercury & Venus 6 Because they orbit between the Earth & Sun, these are known as the 2 "inferior" planets
45 the North Star 6 Though it's currently Polaris, Vega will become this directional star around 14,000 A.D.
46 Japan 5 In 1994 this country launched its 1st domestically designed & built rocket from Tanegashima Is.
47 Cygnus 5 Aka the swan, this constellation in the northern sky is home to the first black hole discovered
48 craters 5 On the Moon, Hell, Billy & Julius Caesar are these
49 12 5 Number of signs in the zodiac
50 the corona 5 The outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere is called this

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Medicine / Health

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39 Must-Know
29 Should-Know
92 Worth Knowing

Must-Know Answers

These appear 8+ times. Memorize these first.

Venus 75 Mars 70 Freddie Mercury 54 Neptune 52 Saturn 52 Pluto 51 Jupiter 48 Uranus 39 the Earth 27 Orion 22 Gemini 21 the Moon 21 Aquarius 18 Halley's Comet 16 an asteroid 16 Scorpio 13 Libra 13 Skylab 12 a black hole 12 Taurus 11 Pisces 11 asteroids 11 Aries 11 Andromeda 11 Virgo 10 Sagittarius 10 the sun 10 Leo 9 Galileo 9 comets 9 the Milky Way 9 rings 9 Nicolaus Copernicus 9 stars 8 Cancer 8 a comet 8 Ursa Major 8 Sirius 8 a solar eclipse 8

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Astronomy / Space

147 answers | 1,123 clues
Must-Know (38)
Venus 75x 6.8% stumper $518 avg J:40 DJ:34 FJ:1
J $100 1998 The atmospheric pressure of this planet nearest to Earth is about 90 times that of the Earth
J $500 1998 Due to the greenhouse effect, this planet's surface reaches almost 900 degrees
J $1,000 2021 Always covered by clouds of sulfuric acid. No silver linings
Mars 70x 7.1% stumper $596 avg J:34 DJ:36
J $200 2014 Veronica ____, a TV sleuth
J $600 2020 On this planet we have a friend we call Oppy, who weighed 384 pounds on Earth but is 146 up there
J $1,000 DD 2024 Weak gravity there has led to the tallest-known volcanoes in the solar system
Freddie Mercury 54x 15.1% stumper $598 avg J:26 DJ:27 FJ:1
J $400 1996 He's the late lead singer of Queen
J $600 2021 A Bay Area newspaper: The ____ News
DJ $3,000 DD 2022 This member of singing royalty said, "Rod Stewart, Elton John & I were going to form a band... called Hair, Nose & Teeth"
Neptune 52x 10.2% stumper $790 avg J:26 DJ:23 FJ:3
J $200 2021 Arranging burials at sea: the ____ Society
DJ $800 2010 It's the third largest in our solar system
J $1,000 2020 ...may have used its gravity to capture an independent object that would become one of its moons—Triton
Saturn 52x 9.8% stumper $567 avg J:28 DJ:23 FJ:1
J $200 2016 Everyone wants a turn gazing at this spectacular planet
J $500 1997 Titan is the largest moon of this planet; Calypso & Telesto are among the smallest
J $1,000 2023 It's surrounded by phenomena named A, B, C, D, E, F & G
Pluto 51x 8.9% stumper $682 avg J:23 DJ:22 FJ:6
J $100 1993 It was located by 20th century scientists looking for Planet X
J $500 1997 Astronomer Clyde Tombaugh discovered this tiny planet in 1930
J $1,600 DD 2002 This planet spends an average of 20 years in each sign of the Zodiac
Jupiter 48x 15.2% stumper $646 avg J:25 DJ:21 FJ:2
J $100 1996 This largest planet spins the most rapidly; its day is just 10 hours long
J $500 1994 It has the strongest surface gravity of our sun's planets, 2.64 times that of Earth
J $1,000 2013 Before missile; after jumpin'
Uranus 39x 41.7% stumper $1,017 avg J:13 DJ:23 FJ:3
DJ $400 2019 William Herschel described it as "perhaps a comet", but it turned out to be the seventh planet
J $500 1995 William Herschel discovered this planet's 2 largest moons, Oberon & Titania, as well as the planet itself
J $1,000 2020 An object's weight on Venus is almost the same as it would be on the surface of this much larger planet discovered in 1781
the Earth 27x 26.9% stumper $608 avg J:13 DJ:13 FJ:1
J $400 2008 "Sons" and "A House Divided" were sequels to this Asia-set novel
DJ $600 1996 Seen from space, this planet appears as a blue ocean sphere marked with brown, green & white areas
DJ $1,000 1985 The center of Ptolemy's universe
Orion 22x 10.5% stumper $758 avg J:4 DJ:15 FJ:3
DJ $200 2001 This hunter's dogs Canis Major & Canis Minor are positioned at his heels
J $600 2009 This constellation is the site of 2 nebulae: the Great Nebula in its sword & the Horsehead Nebula in its belt
J $1,000 2021 Also known as the 3 Sisters, Alnitak, Alnilam & Mintaka make up this hunter's "Belt"
Gemini 21x $555 avg J:13 DJ:7 FJ:1
J $200 2019 Aw, here 's a super-cute representation of this sign
J $500 DD 1999 The Voskhod program & this U.S. program were the first to use multiperson space flights
DJ $1,200 2010 Either monozygotic or dizygotic
the Moon 21x 4.8% stumper $348 avg J:14 DJ:7
J $300 1988 Some almanacs don't mention the fact that Neptune's 3rd one of these was discovered in 1981
J $500 1990 H.G. Wells & Yuri Gagarin have geographic features named for them here
DJ $1,200 2014 Asteroid 1998 QE2, which buzzed by the Earth in 2013, surprised scientists who discovered it had one of these in tow
Halley's Comet 16x $350 avg J:8 DJ:8
DJ $200 1994 As one of these moves away from the sun, it loses its tail
DJ $800 1997 One of these discovered by Giovanni Donati in 1858 has a tail about 45 million miles long
J $1,400 DD 2006 In 1986 5 spacecraft rendezvoused with this object, Giotto came within 400 miles of its nucleus
an asteroid 16x 13.3% stumper $673 avg J:8 DJ:7 FJ:1
J $200 1997 In 1996 one of these minor planets the size of Pikes Peak was named for newsman Walter Cronkite
J $500 DD 1998 In January 1999 a spacecraft called "NEAR" is due to go into orbit around Eros, one of these objects
DJ $1,200 2016 In July 2015, one of these said to contain $5.4 trillion in precious metals passed within 1.5 million miles of earth
Scorpio 13x 15.4% stumper $615 avg J:9 DJ:4
J $200 2012 November 16: People of this sign, don't get stung by being too aggressive
J $500 1993 This sign is symbolized by an arachnid that's fluorescent when exposed to ultraviolet light
J $1,000 2010 ( Sarah of the Clue Crew shows two zodiological signs on the monitor.) The symbol for Virgo & this sign are sometimes confused, but the difference is the tail pointing outward
Libra 13x 8.3% stumper $500 avg J:10 DJ:2 FJ:1
J $100 1990 People born under this sign tend to weigh decisions too long; they don't want to become unbalanced
J $500 1995 Some associate this sign with the Greek goddess Themis, who was the personification of justice
J $1,000 2014 Oh no! That can't be right! The item that's the symbol of this sign indicates you gained 15 pounds
Skylab 12x 27.3% stumper $818 avg J:2 DJ:9 FJ:1
DJ $400 1988 Craft aboard which U.S. astronauts spent the longest time in space, about 2000 hours
J $500 1997 In 1973 Alan Bean spent nearly 2 months aboard this U.S. space station
DJ $1,000 1996 In 1974 Carr, Gibson & Pogue were the last crew to serve in this craft; they spent over 2,000 hours there
a black hole 12x $625 avg J:6 DJ:6
J $100 1996 In 1796 Pierre Simon de Laplace suggested the existence of these objects from which light can't escape
DJ $800 2026 The Schwarzschild radius of one of these is the distance from its center to its event horizon
J $1,000 2012 John Archibald Wheeler popularized this term for an object so dense that not even light can escape
Taurus 11x $536 avg J:5 DJ:6
J $100 1995 If you had asked President Monroe, "What's your sign?", he should have said this, & that's no bull
J $600 2016 You can sort of see it s big head & big horns
J $1,000 2019 The NBA legend seen here wasn't born under it, but the team he won titles with symbolizes this sign
Pisces 11x 22.2% stumper $644 avg J:7 DJ:2 FJ:2
J $200 2010 Nothing, or perhaps everything, is fishy about Neptune being one of the 2 planets said to rule this sign
J $600 2016 Vernalis: Among these fishes
DJ $2,400 DD 2015 This constellation is where you'll find the Sun as spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere
asteroids 11x 9.1% stumper $618 avg J:4 DJ:7
DJ $400 2006 These objects, aka minor planets, range in size from about 20 feet in diameter to around 485 miles in diameter
J $500 1995 Of these "minor planets", Vesta is the only one sometimes visible to the naked eye
DJ $1,000 1991 Scientists have plotted the orbits of over 2500 of these, including those of Hidalgo & Amor
Aries 11x 9.1% stumper $818 avg J:8 DJ:3
J $100 1995 Some astrologers call people born under this sign Arians
J $600 2019 Symbolically, the truck brand whose logo is seen here drives right into this sign
J $1,000 DD 2023 Known for passion & determination, this first sign of the zodiac bears the item sought by Jason & the Argonauts
Andromeda 11x 18.2% stumper $1,327 avg J:2 DJ:9
DJ $600 2001 This constellation of a lady chained to a rock contains the nearby M31 galaxy
J $1,000 2022 There's still time to get ready, but in 4 billion years, this galaxy is destined for a head-on collision with ours
DJ $800 2025 The most distant thing you can usually see with the unaided eye is this galaxy 2.5 million light-years away
Virgo 10x 20.0% stumper $760 avg J:7 DJ:3
J $200 2023 Those born under this Aug.-Sept. sign associated with both chastity & a fertility goddess can be a bit of a paradox
J $1,000 2017 Changes abound for this mutable earth sign; perhaps you'll be touched for the very first time
J $200 2007 This "chaste" sixth sign of the Zodiac gets bold today! You're feminine, but you can play with the big boys!
Sagittarius 10x $760 avg J:5 DJ:5
J $300 1995 This sign of the archer is ruled by Jupiter, which astrologers believe is a friendly planet
J $500 1991 This sign is known for directness—as direct as an arrow speeding to its mark, you might say
DJ $2,800 DD 2010 The lucky possessor of 4 hooves & 2 arms
the sun 10x $870 avg J:6 DJ:4
J $100 1987 This closest star in the sky is so bright it usually prevents us from seeing all others
DJ $600 1992 Perihelion refers to the point in the orbit of a planet that's nearest to this body
DJ $5,000 DD 2004 In terms of light speed, it's 8 minutes away from the Earth
Leo 9x 12.5% stumper $662 avg J:3 DJ:5 FJ:1
J $100 1993 People born under this sign love to be the center of attention; if you ignore them, they may "roar"
DJ $600 1994 This constellation represents the Nemean lion, killed by Hercules
J $1,000 DD 2012 The 2 shortest-named constellations each have 3 letters: Ara & this one in the zodiac
Galileo 9x 11.1% stumper $1,144 avg J:2 DJ:7
J $100 1994 Around 1610 he discovered the Moon had craters & "seas"
DJ $600 1985 His book "Sidereus Nuncius" on telescope use was a best seller of 1610
DJ $1,700 DD 1997 In 1610 he published his discovery of 4 moons of Jupiter in "The Starry Messenger"
comets 9x $790 avg J:3 DJ:6
J $200 1997 Some scientists say thousands of these, known as "dirty snowballs", strike our atmosphere every day
DJ $600 1988 These have been described as "dirty snowballs" of dust & ice orbiting the sun
DJ $1,512 DD 1999 Among these objects, Encke's has an orbital period of 3.3 years; Tago-Sato-Kosaka, 420,000 years
the Milky Way 9x 11.1% stumper $311 avg J:5 DJ:4
J $100 1995 Earth is located about 3/5 of the way from the center of this galaxy
J $500 1994 The center of this galaxy lies in the direction of the constellation Sagittarius
J $100 1993 The center of this, our home galaxy, is near the constellation Sagittarius
rings 9x $444 avg J:3 DJ:6
J $200 2002 Observations by astronomer James Elliot in 1977 discovered 5 of these around Uranus
DJ $800 1991 1/3 of the planets in our solar system feature these; Voyager 2 found Uranus'
J $300 1994 Earth-based observations in 1977 discovered these around Uranus
Nicolaus Copernicus 9x $733 avg J:2 DJ:7
DJ $200 1990 Born Niklas Koppernigk, he was a canon of Frauenberg Cathedral from 1497 until his death in 1543
DJ $800 1999 Aristarchos proposed a heliocentric theory about 1,700 years before this famous Pole
DJ $3,000 DD 2008 This Pole's "De Revolutionibus Orbium Coelestium" was published with a disclaimer to avoid charges of heresy
stars 8x 12.5% stumper $338 avg J:2 DJ:6
DJ $200 1988 Guinness is on record saying there are 5,776 of these visible to the naked eye
J $500 1993 Around 1700 John Flamsteed, the first Astronomer Royal, compiled a numbered catalog of these
DJ $200 1987 The word constellation is from Latin meaning these "together"
Cancer 8x 12.5% stumper $700 avg J:4 DJ:4
J $100 1986 The "crabby" sign of the zodiac
DJ $600 1985 The sign America was born under
DJ $1,600 2018 ( Sarah of the Clue Crew presents a constellation on the monitor.) The star Acubens, whose name is derived from the Arabic for "claws", is on the left, or southern, claw of this, the dimmest constellation of the zodiac
a comet 8x $550 avg J:3 DJ:5
J $100 1994 Most of the meteors in a meteor shower are debris left behind by one of these tailed bodies
J $500 1985 From Greek "long-haired", they have tails up to a hundred million miles
DJ $1,600 2009 A coma is found around the head of one of these, which also takes its name from the Greek for "hair"
Ursa Major 8x $1,125 avg J:1 DJ:7
J $400 2012 Big bear
DJ $600 1987 This constellation's 7 main stars are called "The Plough" in Britain & "the Big Dipper" in U.S.
DJ $5,200 DD 2004 To an astronomer UMa is an abbreviation for this constellation
Sirius 8x $675 avg J:3 DJ:5
DJ $400 2010 Also known as the dog star, it's the brightest star other than the sun as seen from earth
DJ $800 2022 The brightest star in the night sky is this binary star in Canis Major
J $1,300 DD 2021 The Winter Triangle spans stars in constellations from Betelgeuse to Procyon to this bright star in Canis Major
a solar eclipse 8x $500 avg J:2 DJ:6
J $200 1993 2017 is the next year the path of totality of one of these will be over the U.S.
J $800 2003 In 585 B.C. Thales of Miletus accurately predicted one of these astronomical events
DJ $1,000 1986 The last of these in this century will occur on August 11,1999
Should-Know (28)
galaxies 7x $714 avg DJ:7
DJ $200 1989 The Milky Way is part of a cluster of these called the local group
DJ $600 1986 Stars & these vast collections of stars are called the building blocks of the universe
DJ $2,000 2010 Pumping out energy, quasars are one type of object described as the active nuclei of these vast structures
Capricorn 7x 16.7% stumper $517 avg J:5 DJ:1 FJ:1
J $200 2014 A friend will get your goat if he buys your farm at a foreclosure; baah-d day for this December 22-January 19 sign
J $500 DD 1987 According to the following Kris Kristofferson song, it's Jesus' sun sign: "He ate organic food / He believed in love and peace / And never wore no shoes / Long hair, beard and sandals / And a funky bunch of friends..."
J $1,000 2007 This December-January sign is negative & can be stubborn, but not today; relax & you'll respond
the Southern Cross 7x 16.7% stumper $1,400 avg DJ:6 FJ:1
DJ $400 1990 The line joining the Gamma & Alpha stars in this constellation points toward the South Pole
DJ $800 1993 Also called Crux australis, this constellation is the smallest in the sky
DJ $1,000 1984 This well-known So. Hemisphere constellation appears on flags of Australia & New Zealand
a supernova 7x $829 avg J:4 DJ:3
J $100 1995 One of these can be a hundred times more luminous than a regular nova
J $500 1989 The crab nebula is the remnant of one of these witnessed by Chinese astronomers in 1054
DJ $2,500 DD 2023 In 1054 one happened in Taurus: RAVEN SOUP
Mercury & Venus 6x 16.7% stumper $600 avg J:2 DJ:4
J $200 2000 They are the 2 planets closest to our sun
DJ $600 DD 1986 The 2 planets in our solar system with no moons
J $1,000 DD 2008 As seen from Earth, these 2 planets show lunar-type phases
the North Star 6x $417 avg J:3 DJ:3
J $100 1997 2 stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper, called The Pointers, point to this star
J $500 1987 About 14,000 years ago & again in A.D. 14000, the star Vega, not Polaris, will be this
DJ $1,000 DD 1984 Star followed in this song of escape from slavery: "Follow the drinkin' gourd / Follow the drinkin' gourd / For the old man is a-waiting..."
Japan 5x $225 avg J:3 DJ:1 FJ:1
J $100 1987 This country called the 1st satellite it launched on its own the "Rising Sun I"
FJ 1990 In 1990 it became the third country to place a satellite in lunar orbit
J $200 1994 In 1994 this country launched its 1st domestically designed & built rocket from Tanegashima Is.
Cygnus 5x $1,920 avg DJ:5
DJ $1,000 1997 Deneb, a star of the first magnitude, marks the tail of the swan in this constellation
DJ $1,600 2006 The name of the star Deneb in this constellation is Arabic for "tail"; it forms the end of the tail of the swan
DJ $2,000 2022 Light & everything else takes a swan dive into this constellation's X-1, the first known black hole
craters 5x 20.0% stumper $260 avg J:1 DJ:4
J $100 1994 The largest of these on the moon appear to be of meteoric origin, the smallest ones of volcanic origin
DJ $200 1988 From Latin for "mixing bowl", these are found on Mercury & Mars as well as on the Moon
DJ $200 1988 On the moon, these include the Jules Verne, the Plato, & the Giordano Bruno
12 5x 20.0% stumper $220 avg J:3 DJ:2
J $100 1989 The 6 U.S. lunar landings put a total of this many men on the Moon
J $200 2002 There are this many houses in the astrological subdivision
J $200 1990 A horoscope is divided into this number of houses which represent health, friends, death, etc.
the Space Shuttle 5x $400 avg J:1 DJ:4
J $400 1993 This type of spacecraft is also known as the Space Transportation System
DJ $600 1994 The Russian equivalent of this U.S. craft is the Buran, which can fly by remote control
DJ $400 1990 The Soviet's Buran 1st launched in 1988, looks almost exactly like this U.S. craft
the corona 5x 20.0% stumper $740 avg J:2 DJ:3
J $500 1989 This outermost part of the solar atmosphere can easily be seen during total solar eclipses
DJ $1,000 1993 The outermost layer of the Sun's atmosphere is called this
DJ $600 1996 During a total eclipse of the sun, this outermost layer of the sun remains visible
a nebula 5x $1,040 avg J:1 DJ:4
J $800 2022 An H II region made mostly of ionized hydrogen, the Orion this is an emission type of gaseous cloud
DJ $1,200 2019 This word for a tenuous mass of interstellar dust & gas is Latin for "cloud"
DJ $800 1997 A galactic cloud of dust & gas, its name comes from the Latin for "cloud"
Johannes Kepler 5x 20.0% stumper $1,020 avg J:1 DJ:4
J $500 1999 According to one of this German's laws of motion, planets travel faster when they are closer to the sun
DJ $1,200 2013 The first 2 of this German astronomer's laws of planetary motion appeared in his 1609 work "Astronomia Nova"
DJ $600 1997 In the early 17th century this German discovered that the planets orbit the sun in ellipses
a spiral galaxy 5x $880 avg DJ:5
DJ $800 2016 The Sombrero Galaxy is classified by astronomers as this type of galaxy having a pinwheel shape
DJ $1,200 2026 You're the pride of your pride if you know that Leo is home to NGC 2903, one of these galaxies with pinwheeling arms
DJ $1,200 2007 From the way the arms of the galaxy sweep around, the Milky Way, seen here, is classified as this type of galaxy
Tycho Brahe 4x $1,100 avg DJ:4
DJ $800 1997 In 1572 this Danish astronomer discovered a supernova in the constellation Cassiopeia
DJ $1,000 1994 This Dane's observations of the "New Star" of 1572 were published in his "De Nova Stella"
DJ $1,000 1991 In 1565 this Danish astronomer had part of his nose sliced off in a duel
Titan 4x $1,000 avg J:2 DJ:1 FJ:1
J $600 2022 Ice volcanoes on this largest moon of Saturn may be releasing hydrocarbons like methane rather than molten rock
DJ $1,600 2016 In 2014 images of the surface of this largest Saturnian moon showed the Sun's reflection off its polar seas
FJ 2016 The name of this moon refers to the mythical group that its planet’s name belonged to
the Kuiper Belt 4x 50.0% stumper $1,500 avg J:2 DJ:2
J $1,000 2009 This belt of debris beyond Neptune was visually verified in 1992
J $1,000 2007 In July 2005 scientists announced the discovery of Eris, a dwarf planet larger than Pluto, in this belt
DJ $2,000 2018 Undetected until the 1990s, this belt is a zone of space past 30 A.U. & home to objects like dwarf planets & icy centaurs
Ptolemy 4x 50.0% stumper $1,250 avg DJ:4
DJ $1,000 1999 This Alexandrian astronomer discusses eclipses in book VI of his 2nd century work "Almagest"
DJ $1,000 1997 In the "Almagest", this 2nd century Greek astronomer suggested the Earth was the center of the universe
DJ $1,000 1988 About 140 A.D. he compiled the "Almagest", an encyclopedia that included a star catalog
Phobos 4x 33.3% stumper $833 avg J:2 DJ:1 FJ:1
J $500 1998 It's nothing to fear, but this inner & larger of Mars' 2 moons orbits the planet every 7.65 hours
J $1,000 2018 ( Sarah of the Clue Crew shows a model of Mars on the monitor.) Mars may have an accessory in 40 million years, as its gravity could break apart this inner & larger moon, whose debris would swirl around the planet & form a ring
FJ 2016 Its name means "fear", & this moon orbits closest to a planet's surface of any moon in the solar system
meteors 4x 50.0% stumper $800 avg DJ:4
DJ $600 1988 Leonids are these that seem to radiate from the constellation Leo
DJ $1,000 1986 Each August astronomers watch for these in the constellation Perseus
DJ $800 1988 They are estimated to add more than 1,000 tons to the Earth's weight each day
Kohoutek 4x $975 avg J:1 DJ:3
J $400 1988 Discovered in 1973, this comet was extensively investigated from Skylab
DJ $1,000 1991 In 1973 this new comet became the 1st to be studied from space when photographed by Skylab
DJ $1,000 1987 Unlike Halley's, it'll take another 75,000 years for this comet, 1st seen in 1973, to return
the solar wind 4x $2,900 avg DJ:4
DJ $1,000 1998 By the time this flow of gasses from the sun reaches Earth, its speed may be 1-2 million mph; what a blowhard!
DJ $1,600 2023 Out at the edge of the solar system, the heliopause is where this stream of plasma from the sun meets interstellar space
DJ $3,000 DD 1991 The steady flow of charged particles from the sun's corona into space is called this
the Big Dipper 4x $400 avg DJ:4
DJ $200 1991 Its alpha & beta stars are called the pointers because they point to the North Star
DJ $1,000 DD 2010 ( Sarah of the Clue Crew shows a painting on the monitor.) Though not actually seen in that part of the sky, in Van Gogh's "Starry Night over the Rhone", you can clearly see this famous grouping, including Merak
DJ $200 1994 This configuration in Ursa Major is also known as the Plow
Edmond Halley 4x 25.0% stumper $375 avg J:2 DJ:2
J $300 1993 A famous comet is named for this man, Britain's Astronomer Royal 1720-1742
DJ $400 1999 He predicted a comet he observed in 1682 would return in 1758 (he was right)
DJ $400 1997 In 1705 he announced that the comets of 1531, 1607, & 1682 were the same comet
an arrow 4x $450 avg J:4
J $300 1995 Sagitta translates to this weapon, something Sagittarius may use
J $600 2021 Congrats, Sagitta! As one of these projectiles used by Hercules or Cupid, your place in the heavens is secured
J $400 2018 Sagitta is this projectile
the Pleiades 4x $1,450 avg DJ:4
DJ $800 1997 This cluster known as the "Seven Sisters" actually has over 300 stars within a 30 light year diameter
DJ $2,000 2018 This cluster of stars also known as the Seven Sisters lies within the constellation Taurus
DJ $2,000 2016 Aldebaran, from the Arabic for "follower", is so named because it follows this cluster of 7 sisters in the sky
Neptune and Pluto 4x $1,025 avg DJ:4
DJ $500 DD 1987 The 6 "Superior" planets
DJ $2,000 DD 1988 The 3 planets discovered in the 18th, 19th, & 20th centuries, in order of discovery
DJ $800 1989 Though the orbit of these 2 planets cross, they'll never hit each other
Worth Knowing (81)
Ursa Minor 3 the Great Red Spot 3 solar flares 3 quasars 3 Pulsar 3 nova 3 Mensa 3 John Glenn 3 Hydra 3 Draco 3 Cassiopeia 3 carbon dioxide 3 Apollo 13 3 a galaxy 3 a clock 3 zodiac 3 the Hubble 3 planets 3 planet 3 perihelion 3 a radio telescope 3 a new moon 3 a horoscope 3 William Herschel 2 waxing 2 Voyager 2 Venus Williams 2 Valentina Tereshkova 2 unicorn 2 Triton 2 the Star of Bethlehem 2 the Oort Cloud 2 the Northern Cross 2 the European Space Agency 2 the eagle 2 the core 2 the Columbia 2 the Big Bang 2 the Argo 2 sunspots 2 sunset 2 spiral 2 reflecting 2 pulsars 2 Phobos & Deimos 2 Perseus 2 parallax 2 one second 2 new 2 Mt. Palomar 2 Magellan 2 Krypton 2 Icarus 2 helium 2 gravity 2 Gerard Kuiper 2 gas 2 France 2 ellipse 2 constellations 2 Black holes 2 binary 2 beta 2 Baily's beads 2 Asclepius 2 an eclipse 2 Alpha Centauri 2 Alan Shepard 2 7 2 "Sunrise, Sunset" 2 "Drops Of Jupiter" 2 the Van Allen belts 2 the solstice 2 the sails 2 the rings of Saturn 2 the lyre 2 the Little Dipper 2 Taurus, the bull 2 lunar seas 2 Polaris 2 hydrogen and helium 2

Chemistry / Elements

7 answers | 34 clues
Must-Know (1)
Aquarius 18x 5.6% stumper $800 avg J:10 DJ:8
J $100 1995 This sign of the zodiac may be abbreviated Aqr.
J $600 2023 It sounds like a water sign, but it's an air sign & those born under it, such as Abraham Lincoln, are intellectual & highly social
J $1,000 2016 It's the dawning of the symbol of this sign of the zodiac
Should-Know (1)
Mir 4x 25.0% stumper $925 avg J:1 DJ:3
J $500 1994 In 1992 cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev returned home after nearly a year aboard this space station
DJ $1,600 2003 More people visited this Russian space station, launched in 1986, than all previous stations combined
DJ $800 1994 It was the Soviet successor to the Salyut Space Station
Worth Knowing (5)

Biology / Animals

2 answers | 5 clues
Worth Knowing (2)
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