Astronomical Data Center

How to Play: Find the astronomical terms in the puzzle by using the clues on the left. Mark the words you find and write them in the blank next to the correct clue. Give yourself one point for each word found and another for each correctly filled blank. Words may appear horizontally, vertically, diagonally, backwards or upside down.

Think you can get them all? Rate yourself:

• 34-44 Points: Astrophysics whiz
• 23-33 Points: Astronomy buff
• 12-22 Points: Science savvy
• 0-11 Points: Earth bound

Find the Astronomical Terms in the Puzzle

------------------ Clues -------------------
1. One packet of electromagnetic radiation __________
2. The VLA uses this type of telescope __________
3. The difference in a star's brightness through two filters is a __________ index.
4. Electromagnetic wavelengths just shorter than the visible __________
5. Photographic __________
6. Measurements of objects' brightness in multiple filter bandpasses __________
7. Starlight passing though interstellar gas will show __________ lines.
8. Gas falling into black holes is often detected at __________ wavelengths
9. Apparent angular motion of a star across the line of sight per year __________
10. Stars' chemical compositions, radial velocities, and rotation are studied using __________
11. Apparent shift in position of a nearby star due to Earth's orbital motion __________
12. Bright lines in the spectrum of a star are known as __________ lines.
13. Electromagnetic wavelengths just longer than the visible __________
14. The most energetic form of electromagnetic radiation __________
15. Shorthand for the three-filter photometry system developed by Johnson __________
16. His law is a mathematical progression matching the spacing of the planets __________
17. Velocity component determined from Doppler shift __________
18. One component of interstellar clouds __________
19. Solid-state electronic detector common in astronomy __________
20. High-energy particle that strikes the Earth's atmosphere __________
21. Fundamental force that binds binary star systems: __________
22. The Sun and Moon's pull on Earth's bulge causes Earth's axis to __________ .

Check the answer key

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