Planet Quiz

1. Which planet is closest to the Sun?

2. Which planet is the largest in the Solar System?

3. A probe encounters a rocky planet with a dense carbon-dioxide atmosphere, sulfuric-acid clouds, and the hottest planetary surface. Where is it?

4. Astronomers monitor a vast, long-lived storm called the Great Red Spot. Which planet are they observing?

5. Iron minerals oxidized on the surface give which planet its familiar reddish appearance?

6. Data show that a rocky planet takes about 243 Earth days to rotate once but about 225 Earth days to orbit the Sun. Which planet is it?

7. Which planet’s extreme axial tilt makes it appear to rotate nearly on its side?

8. A weather instrument records exceptionally fast winds on a distant blue ice giant whose atmospheric methane absorbs red light. Which planet best fits the report?

9. Which recognized planet has the greatest average distance from the Sun?

10. A mission designed to study Titan would need to travel to which planet’s system?

11. A researcher wants data from the planet that completes one orbit around the Sun in the least time. Which planet should be selected?

12. Which pair consists entirely of planets classified as ice giants?

13. Traveling outward from the Sun, a probe passes the rocky planets before entering the main asteroid belt. Which is the last rocky planet it passes?

14. An observer wants to view the Solar System’s most prominent broad, bright ring system through a telescope. Which planet should the telescope target?

15. Under the International Astronomical Union definition, why is Pluto classified as a dwarf planet rather than a planet?

16. A planetary geologist wants to study Olympus Mons, the enormous shield volcano. Which planet’s surface should the mission examine?