Galaxies MCQs with Answers
Solved Galaxies MCQs with answers — Milky Way, Andromeda, Messier 87, Magellanic Clouds, Proxima Centauri & constellations. Free quiz + PDF for PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS & PMS.
Galaxies — Master Reference for Pakistani Competitive Exams
The chapter Galaxies is a high-frequency Everyday Science / Astronomy topic in Pakistan’s PPSC, FPSC, NTS, CSS, PMS, OTS, CTS, BPSC, KPPSC and SPSC One Paper exams. Almost every Junior Clerk, Tehsildar, Assistant, Sub-Inspector, Lecturer and BPS-14 to BPS-17 paper carries 1–2 MCQs from this chapter — and it is core content for the CSS Screening MPT (General Science & Ability) paper. This page consolidates solved MCQs with answers covering galaxy definition, our home galaxy the Milky Way (barred spiral, 100,000–180,000 light-year diameter, 13.6 billion years old, 100–400 billion stars, in the constellation Sagittarius), the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) — the closest large galaxy with about 1 trillion stars, Messier 87 (elliptical), Antennae (interacting spirals in Corvus), the Large & Small Magellanic Clouds, the closest star to Earth (Proxima Centauri at 4.25 light years), the North Star Polaris, and constellations. For wider context, see Wikipedia: Galaxy and NASA Science: Galaxies — the official reference.
Famous Galaxies — Quick Comparison
| Galaxy | Type | Diameter (light years) | Constellation / Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milky Way | Barred Spiral | 100,000 – 180,000 | Sagittarius (our home; 27,000 ly to galactic centre) |
| Andromeda (M31) | Spiral | ~200,000 | Closest large galaxy — 2,480,000 ly away |
| Messier 87 | Elliptical | 120,000 | Virgo — 54 million ly away |
| Antennae | Interacting Spirals | — | Corvus — tail-tail 350,000 ly |
| Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) | Disrupted Barred Spiral | 14,000 | Dorado & Mensa |
| Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) | Irregular | 7,000 | Tucana & Hydrus |
Key Facts to Memorise
- Galaxy — A large collection of stars, dust and gas in space; a system of millions/billions of stars held together by gravity.
- Star light — gives the idea of a star’s rotational speed and temperature.
- Constellations appear at different positions at night mainly due to Earth’s rotation.
- Sunspots cause aurora australis and aurora borealis (polar auroras) and geomagnetic storms.
- Proxima Centauri — closest star other than the Sun — about 4.25 light years from Earth.
- Praesepe / Beehive Cluster (M44) — large bright open star cluster in the constellation Cancer.
- Star colour change arises due to variation in surface temperature.
- Polaris — the North Star — lies at the end of the handle of the Little Dipper.
- Milky Way — barred spiral galaxy; diameter 100,000–180,000 light years; 13.6 billion years old; 100–400 billion stars; constellation Sagittarius.
- Distance from Sun to Galactic Centre — 27,000 light years.
- Andromeda (M31) — closest large galaxy to the Milky Way; spiral; brightest galaxy; ~200,000 ly diameter; 2.48 million ly from Earth; ~1 trillion stars; double nucleus; ~450 globular clusters.
- Messier 87 (Virgo A / NGC 4486) — elliptical galaxy; 120,000 ly diameter; 54 million ly from Earth; constellation Virgo; supermassive black hole + ~15,000 globular clusters.
- Antennae — interacting spiral galaxies in the constellation Corvus.
- Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) — disrupted barred spiral; 14,000 ly diameter; 10 billion solar masses; in Dorado & Mensa.
- Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) — irregular galaxy; 7,000 ly diameter; 6.5 billion solar masses; in Tucana & Hydrus.
Exam tip: Lock six anchors and you cover ~80% of all MCQs from this chapter — Galaxy = stars + gas + dust held by gravity, Milky Way = barred spiral, 13.6 billion years, Sagittarius = Milky Way’s constellation, Andromeda (M31) = closest large galaxy, Proxima Centauri = closest star (4.25 ly), and Polaris = North Star (Little Dipper).
Frequently Asked Questions
A galaxy is a large collection of stars, dust and gas in space — a system of millions or billions of stars held together by gravity.
The Milky Way is a barred spiral galaxy. It has a diameter of 100,000–180,000 light years, contains 100–400 billion stars, and is about 13.6 billion years old.
The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is the closest large galaxy to the Milky Way. It is a spiral galaxy located about 2.48 million light years from Earth and contains approximately 1 trillion stars.
Proxima Centauri is the closest star to Earth other than the Sun — about 4.25 light years away.
The Milky Way’s central bulge lies in the constellation Sagittarius.
Yes. Galaxies MCQs appear in every One Paper, NTS NAT, GAT, OTS, CTS, BPSC, KPPSC, SPSC, PPSC and FPSC exam — and are core CSS Screening MPT (General Science & Ability) content.
Yes. Click the Download PDF button to get all Galaxies MCQs with correct answers as a branded QuizWing PDF for offline revision.