Solar Systems

50 MCQs on Solar System

For BPSC Prelims and Other Competitive Exams

PYQ-Based Questions (Q1–10)

The planet known as the "Morning Star" is:
a) Mars
b) Venus
c) Mercury
d) Jupiter
Answer: b
Explanation: Venus is often visible at dawn and is called the "Morning Star".
(BPSC 64th Prelims)
Which planet is known as the 'Red Planet'?
a) Earth
b) Mars
c) Jupiter
d) Mercury
Answer: b
Explanation: Mars appears red due to iron oxide (rust) on its surface.
(UPSC Prelims 2014)
Which is the smallest planet in the solar system?
a) Mars
b) Mercury
c) Pluto
d) Venus
Answer: b
Explanation: Mercury is the smallest planet after Pluto was reclassified as a dwarf planet.
(BPSC 66th Prelims)
The planet with the largest number of moons is:
a) Earth
b) Jupiter
c) Saturn
d) Mars
Answer: c
Explanation: Saturn currently has the most known moons (over 80).
(UPSC Prelims 2021)
Which planet has a day longer than its year?
a) Mercury
b) Venus
c) Mars
d) Neptune
Answer: b
Explanation: Venus takes more time to rotate on its axis than to orbit the Sun.
(MPPSC 2019)
The asteroid belt is located between:
a) Earth and Mars
b) Mars and Jupiter
c) Jupiter and Saturn
d) Saturn and Uranus
Answer: b
Explanation: The main asteroid belt lies between Mars and Jupiter.
(BPSC 65th Prelims)
Which planet has the fastest rotation speed?
a) Earth
b) Mars
c) Jupiter
d) Saturn
Answer: c
Explanation: Jupiter completes one rotation in about 10 hours.
(UPPSC 2018)
Which planet has the most prominent ring system?
a) Uranus
b) Neptune
c) Saturn
d) Jupiter
Answer: c
Explanation: Saturn is famous for its extensive and bright rings.
(BPSC 67th Prelims)
Which celestial body was reclassified as a "dwarf planet" in 2006?
a) Ceres
b) Pluto
c) Charon
d) Eris
Answer: b
Explanation: Pluto was reclassified by the International Astronomical Union in 2006.
(UPSC 2011)
Earth's twin planet due to its similar size and mass is:
a) Mars
b) Mercury
c) Venus
d) Jupiter
Answer: c
Explanation: Venus is similar in size, mass, and proximity to the Sun as Earth.
(BPSC 63rd Prelims)

NCERT-Based Questions (Q11–30)

The only natural satellite of Earth is:
a) Mars
b) Moon
c) Europa
d) Ganymede
Answer: b
Explanation: Moon is Earth’s only natural satellite.
(NCERT Class 6 Geography)
Which planet is known for its extreme axial tilt (about 98 degrees)?
a) Neptune
b) Uranus
c) Venus
d) Saturn
Answer: b
Explanation: Uranus rotates almost sideways due to its extreme axial tilt.
(NCERT Class 8 Science)
The largest moon in the Solar System is:
a) Titan
b) Moon
c) Ganymede
d) Europa
Answer: c
Explanation: Ganymede (a moon of Jupiter) is the largest natural satellite.
(NCERT Class 9 Science)
Which planet has the most similar atmosphere to Earth?
a) Venus
b) Mars
c) Saturn
d) Mercury
Answer: b
Explanation: Though thin, Mars' atmosphere is somewhat similar to Earth's.
(NCERT Class 8 Science)
Which two planets rotate from east to west (retrograde rotation)?
a) Venus and Uranus
b) Mars and Mercury
c) Jupiter and Saturn
d) Earth and Neptune
Answer: a
Explanation: Venus and Uranus have retrograde rotation.
(NCERT Class 9)
Meteoroids burn in which layer of the Earth’s atmosphere?
a) Troposphere
b) Stratosphere
c) Mesosphere
d) Thermosphere
Answer: c
Explanation: Meteors burn in the mesosphere due to friction.
(NCERT Class 7 Science)
Which planet has the longest orbital period?
a) Neptune
b) Jupiter
c) Saturn
d) Uranus
Answer: a
Explanation: Neptune takes about 165 years to orbit the Sun.
(NCERT Class 8 Science)
The Sun is classified as what type of star?
a) Red Giant
b) White Dwarf
c) Yellow Dwarf
d) Neutron Star
Answer: c
Explanation: The Sun is a G-type main-sequence star, or Yellow Dwarf.
(NCERT Class 6)
Which planet has the highest mountain in the Solar System?
a) Earth
b) Venus
c) Mars
d) Mercury
Answer: c
Explanation: Olympus Mons on Mars is the tallest volcano and mountain.
(NCERT Class 8)
Which planet has no atmosphere?
a) Venus
b) Mars
c) Mercury
d) Neptune
Answer: c
Explanation: Mercury has a very thin exosphere, not a true atmosphere.
(NCERT Class 6)
Which planet is tilted so much that it appears to roll on its orbit?
a) Uranus
b) Mars
c) Jupiter
d) Venus
Answer: a
Explanation: Uranus has a 98-degree tilt, giving it a unique rolling motion.
(NCERT Class 8)
Which is the hottest planet in the Solar System?
a) Mercury
b) Mars
c) Venus
d) Earth
Answer: c
Explanation: Venus has a thick CO2 atmosphere causing a strong greenhouse effect.
(NCERT Class 8)
Which planet is also called the “Earth’s Evil Twin”?
a) Jupiter
b) Venus
c) Mercury
d) Neptune
Answer: b
Explanation: Due to its similar size and extreme conditions.
(NCERT Class 9)
The Kuiper Belt lies beyond which planet?
a) Neptune
b) Saturn
c) Uranus
d) Mars
Answer: a
Explanation: Kuiper Belt is a region of icy bodies beyond Neptune.
(NCERT Class 8)
What is the Sun primarily composed of?
a) Helium and Oxygen
b) Oxygen and Hydrogen
c) Hydrogen and Helium
d) Carbon and Oxygen
Answer: c
Explanation: The Sun is mostly hydrogen (74%) and helium (24%).
(NCERT Class 6)
The Great Red Spot is a storm on which planet?
a) Mars
b) Jupiter
c) Neptune
d) Saturn
Answer: b
Explanation: The Great Red Spot is a persistent anticyclonic storm on Jupiter.
(NCERT Class 8)
What causes solar eclipses?
a) Earth between Sun and Moon
b) Moon between Earth and Sun
c) Sun between Earth and Mars
d) Venus passing in front of Earth
Answer: b
Explanation: The Moon blocks the Sun’s light in a solar eclipse.
(NCERT Class 6)
Which planet has a blue color due to methane in its atmosphere?
a) Jupiter
b) Mars
c) Neptune
d) Venus
Answer: c
Explanation: Methane reflects blue light, giving Neptune its color.
(NCERT Class 7)
The Moon completes one revolution around Earth in:
a) 24 hours
b) 27.3 days
c) 365 days
d) 7 days
Answer: b
Explanation: The Moon takes about 27.3 days to orbit Earth.
(NCERT Class 6)
Which dwarf planet lies in the asteroid belt?
a) Ceres
b) Pluto
c) Eris
d) Makemake
Answer: a
Explanation: Ceres is the only dwarf planet in the asteroid belt.
(NCERT Class 9)

Predicted/Reference Book-Based Questions (Q31–50)

Which spacecraft gave us detailed images of Pluto in 2015?
a) Voyager 1
b) New Horizons
c) Cassini
d) Juno
Answer: b
Explanation: NASA’s New Horizons flew by Pluto in July 2015.
(Reference: Vision IAS 365, Lucent)
The heliopause marks the boundary of:
a) Earth’s atmosphere
b) Asteroid Belt
c) Solar System
d) Mars Orbit
Answer: c
Explanation: The heliopause is the edge of the Sun's influence.
(Reference: NCERT + Vision IAS)
The Sun’s outermost layer is called:
a) Photosphere
b) Chromosphere
c) Corona
d) Core
Answer: c
Explanation: The corona is the Sun's outermost atmosphere.
(Reference: Lucent GK)
Which of the following is NOT a terrestrial planet?
a) Mercury
b) Venus
c) Earth
d) Jupiter
Answer: d
Explanation: Jupiter is a gas giant, not terrestrial.
(Lucent GK)
The Jovian planets are also called:
a) Inner planets
b) Outer planets
c) Rocky planets
d) None
Answer: b
Explanation: Jovian (gas giants) are located beyond the asteroid belt.
(Spectrum + Lucent)
The largest volcano in the solar system is:
a) Mount Everest
b) Mauna Kea
c) Olympus Mons
d) Tamu Massif
Answer: c
Explanation: Olympus Mons on Mars is the largest volcano known.
(Lucent)
Saturn’s largest moon is:
a) Titan
b) Ganymede
c) Europa
d) Rhea
Answer: a
Explanation: Titan is the second-largest moon in the solar system.
(Vision IAS)
The solar wind consists mostly of:
a) Oxygen
b) Hydrogen
c) Protons and Electrons
d) Neutrons
Answer: c
Explanation: Solar wind is made of charged particles from the Sun.
(Lucent + Spectrum)
Which of these planets has a tilted ring system?
a) Mars
b) Saturn
c) Uranus
d) Mercury
Answer: c
Explanation: Uranus’s rings are tilted due to its extreme axial tilt.
(Spectrum Geography)
The darkest planet in the solar system is:
a) Venus
b) Mercury
c) Neptune
d) Mercury
Answer: c
Explanation: Neptune reflects the least amount of sunlight.
(Reference Book)
Which of the following is a dwarf planet discovered in 2005?
a) Eris
b) Pluto
c) Ceres
d) Haumea
Answer: a
Explanation: Eris is a large trans-Neptunian object classified as a dwarf planet.
(Reference: Ghatna Chakra)
The planet farthest from the Sun is:
a) Neptune
b) Uranus
c) Pluto
d) Saturn
Answer: a
Explanation: After Pluto’s reclassification, Neptune became the farthest.
(Lucent)
The time taken by sunlight to reach Earth is about:
a) 8 seconds
b) 8 minutes
c) 10 minutes
d) 12 minutes
Answer: b
Explanation: Sunlight takes around 8 minutes and 20 seconds to reach Earth.
(Vision IAS Science)
What separates the inner and outer planets?
a) Kuiper Belt
b) Asteroid Belt
c) Magnetosphere
d) Oort Cloud
Answer: b
Explanation: The asteroid belt lies between inner (rocky) and outer (gas) planets.
(Ghatna Chakra)
The "Oort Cloud" is believed to be a source of:
a) Moons
b) Asteroids
c) Comets
d) Meteors
Answer: c
Explanation: Long-period comets originate from the Oort Cloud.
(Reference Book)
Which planet has the longest day (slowest rotation)?
a) Venus
b) Jupiter
c) Earth
d) Neptune
Answer: a
Explanation: Venus rotates once every 243 Earth days.
(Lucent)
Which planet has no moons?
a) Mars
b) Earth
c) Mercury
d) Neptune
Answer: c
Explanation: Mercury and Venus have no natural satellites.
(Ghatna Chakra)
Which is the densest planet in the solar system?
a) Earth
b) Saturn
c) Neptune
d) Uranus
Answer: a
Explanation: Earth is the densest planet based on mass/volume ratio.
(Vision)
Which was the first artificial satellite?
a) Aryabhata
b) Explorer 1
c) Sputnik 1
d) INSAT-1
Answer: c
Explanation: USSR launched Sputnik 1 in 1957.
(Lucent + History)
The first Indian to go into space was:
a) Abdul Kalam
b) Kalpana Chawla
c) Rakesh Sharma
d) Sunita Williams
Answer: c
Explanation: Rakesh Sharma flew aboard Soyuz T-11 in 1984.
(Static GK)