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Look, up in the Sky Trivia
1. It’s the name of a film starring Joan Crawford based on a Somerset Maugham story,
the name of dozens of songs (including one by the Beatles), and also what happens
when the atmosphere becomes locally saturated.
Rain
2. Robert is the New England poet who took the road not taken. His distant cousin Jack
nips at your nose around Christmas. What is their family name? Frost
3. Who descends by parachute-like umbrella upon English children Jane and Michael
Banks, as an answer to their letter requesting the perfect nanny?
Mary Poppins
4. “Blue Skies” is one of the greatest songs of this Tin Pan Alley songwriter, who also
wrote “White Christmas,” “Alexander’s Ragtime Band,” and “God Bless America.”
Irving Berlin
5. Shakespeare’s last play, starring Prospero, Caliban, and Ariel on an enchanted island,
takes its name from another word for “storm.”
The Tempest
6. Look, up in the sky, it’s Superman—an illegal alien from what fictional planet?
Krypton (hint: the mineral from this planet is his greatest weakness)
7. In the theme song from Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, written by Burt
Bacharach and Hal David, what keeps falling on my head?
Raindrops
8. This common name actually refers to two different kind of precipitation: either ice
pellets or rain and snow mixed together.
Sleet
9. Technically known as parhelia, often called mock suns or phantom suns, these
atmospheric phenomena consist of bright spots to the left and right of the sun, forming
a kind of halo. For mysterious reasons, it is most commonly named after a
domesticated animal. Which one? Dog (sun dogs)
10. The center of a hurricane is often given this anatomical description.
Eye
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11. Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler wrote this classic song, performed perhaps most
famously by Lena Horne and Billie Holiday, that begins, “Don’t know why there’s no sun
up in the sky…”
Stormy Weather
12. You really have to hand it to this famous ancient Greek statue of the goddess of love,
especially because she has no arms.
Venus di Milo
13. What is the name for the group of all planets that circle the Sun?
Solar system
14. The Senate recently voted that this is not a hoax, but they still aren’t ready to say
that it’s caused by humans.
Global warming or climate change
15. If you wanted to see a sky show, but preferred to stay indoors, where would you
go?
Planetarium
16. What do we call the pictures that people have seen, since the beginning of human
culture, when they look up and connect the dots of the stars?
Constellations
17. Name the constellation of the hunter, whose belt is made of a perfect line of three
bright stars.
Orion
18. One of Beethoven’s most famous works for solo piano is named for this source of
nocturnal illumination.
Moonlight (Sonata)
19. Which number cloud is the one you want to be on, if you want to enjoy happiness,
elation and bliss?
Nine
20. Originally the name for a low pressure area around the equator where the
prevailing winds are calm and sailboats had a hard time sailing, this word now
commonly refers to a state of listlessness, depression, or inactivity.
Doldrums
21. According to the song, where does the rain in Spain mainly stay?
In the plain
The rain in Spain stays mainly in the plain! (My Fair Lady)
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22. What is the fancy Latin name for the Northern lights?
Aurora Borealis
23. Name the planet named: for the king of the Roman gods.
Jupiter
24. Name the planet named: for the Roman god of war.
Mars
25. Name the planet named for, in Roman mythology, the messenger of the gods and
god of travelers and commerce. He wore a winged hat.
Mercury
26. Which of the following is not the name for a type cloud: cumulus, cirrus, stratus,
rhombus?
Rhombus (a flat shape with 4 equal sides, like a square or parallelogram)
27. According to the Perry Como Song, where might you put a falling star that you’ve
caught, in order to save it for a rainy day?
In your pocket
"Catch A Falling Star" was written by Lee Pockriss, Paul Vance.
Catch a falling star an' put it in your pocket
/ Never let it fade away
Catch a falling star an' put it in your pocket
/ Save it for a rainy day
28. Perhaps the most famous of the comets that are visible from earth, this one was last
seen in the inner Solar System in 1986 and will next pay us a visit in 2061.
Halley’s Comet
29. What’s the fancy name for a weatherman?
Meteorologist
30. Once you are done swinging on luminous spheres of plasma held together by their
own gravity, what might you like to carry home in a jar?
Moonbeams
31. The galaxy that contains our own sun and solar system -- it gets its name because it
appears as a whitish glowing band across the night sky.
Milky Way
(It also resembles a candybar!)
32. Cones, angels, and men are made from this material.
Snow
33. According to this phrase, penned by poet William Wordsworth: “I wandered lonely
as a _what__.”
Cloud
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34. Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael are names of these heavenly beings.
Angels
35. “Heaven, I’m in heaven, and my heart beats so that I can hardly speak,” is the
opening line in a song by Irving Berlin, sung by Fred Astaire in the movie “Cheek to
Cheek.” Who was his co-star in that movie?
Ginger Rogers
36. A person can estimate how far a lightning strike was by counting seconds between
when they saw the lightning and when they heard the accompanying thunder.
Approximately how many seconds between a flash of lightning and the beginning of its
thunder indicates that the lightning is one mile away?
5 seconds
(Because of the difference in speed that light and sound travel.)
37. ROYGBIV is an acronym people use to memorize what?
The sequence of colors of a rainbow: Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo,
Violet
38. This notion, having to do with our Sun and its planets, was proposed by the ancient
Greeks but developed mathematically by Polish mathematician and astronomer
Nicolaus Copernicus in the 16th century, contributing to the Scientific Revolution. What
was the notion that he’s best known for?
That the planets revolve around the Sun
39. What do we call Earth’s only natural satellite?
The Moon
40. Blue giants, red giants, white dwarfs, and yellow dwarfs are all names of what?
Stars (Our sun is a yellow giant)
41. One of the earliest of American rock and roll bands, they had a hit in 1954 with the
song, “Rock Around the Clock.”
Bill Haley and the Comets
42. This giant wall of water caused by seismic activity gets its name from the Japanese
word for “harbor wave.”
Tsunami
43. The sky is blue because the molecules in the air scatter blue light from the sun more
than they scatter red light. What is the most common molecule in our air?
Nitrogen (air is about 78% nitrogren, 21% oxygen, and 1% argon)
44. Nice try Brian Williams! This expression is used to describe how soldiers feel when
they are uncertain about their situation, their capability, their enemy’s capability and
intent during an engagement.
Fog of war
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45. An extraterrestrial might fly to earth in one of these, know by its three-letter
acronym. Give the entire name.
Unidentified Flying Object (UFO)
46. Which of these airlines is still in business under the same name? Ozark, PanAm
(Pan American Airlines), US Airways, and TWA (Trans World Airlines).
US Airways
47. What Alfred Hitchcock movie, based on a Daphne Du Maurier short story, featured a
town terrorized by winged creatures?
The Birds
48. Correctly spell Pterodactyl, a large flying animal that lived during the time of
dinosaurs:
Pterodactyl
49. Our weather is affected by high and low pressure systems. Is high or low associated
with clouds and precipitation, rather than with dry weather and clear skies?
Low
Low for clouds and precipitation, High for dry and clear
50. Jet streams are air currents found high above the earth. In what direction do the
major jet streams flow?
From West to east
51. This expression describes an event in which a rare combination of circumstances
combine to drastically aggravate a situation.
Perfect storm
Also the name of a 2000 sea disaster film starring George Clooney.
The Perfect Storm is a 2000 American biographical disaster drama film … an
adaptation of the 1997 non-fiction … by Sebastian Junger, which tells the story of
the Andrea Gail a commercial fishing vessel that was lost at sea with all hands after
being caught in the Perfect Storm of 1991. The film stars George Clooney, Mark
Wahlberg, William Fichtner, John C. Reilly, Diane Lane, Karen Allen and Mary
Elizabeth Mastrantonio.[2]
52. The song “Stormy Weather” was made famous by Lena Horne and Billie Holiday,
among others. But it was first sung in 1933 Ethel Waters at the Cotton Club. In which
city is the Cotton Club located?
New York City, Manhattan, Harlem
(hint: Harlem was originally a Dutch village, which became a major African-American
center)
53. This object was the largest in terms of diameter and weight ever recorded in the
U.S. and it fell from the sky on July 23, 2010 in Vivian, South Dakota. It was 8 inches in
diameter and weighed 1.93 pounds. What was it?
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Hailstone
54. On a train, you would have a porter. On the ground at an airport, who would do the
same kind of job?
Skycap
55. A weather vane on top of a house indicates the direction of the wind. What flexible
device is used to show wind direction at an airport?
Wind sock
56. In the Old Testament, when God destroyed the Earth with water, for how long did it
rain??
40 days and 40 nights. (Genesis 7:12)
57. Hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons differ only in their locations. Hurricanes occur
in the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific Oceans. Cyclones happen in the South Pacific and
Indian Oceans. Where do typhoons happen?
Northwest Pacific
58. Northern Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Nebraska form the core of this weather
alley.
Tornado alley
59. “Heavens to Mergatroyd!” an exclamation of surprise popularized by the cartoon
character Snagglepuss. It is a variant of this older expression.
Heaven’s to Betsy
60. A black hole is an object found in space that is so dense, with such gravitational pull,
that even light cannot escape its grasp. Black holes were first predicted in 1916 by this
scientist, along with his theory of general relativity.
Albert Einstein
61. An interstellar cloud is called a nebula, and the Nebula Awards are named for them.
They are given to the best books published in the U.S. in what literary genre?
Science fiction and fantasy
62. How many planets lie between the Earth and the sun?
Two (Mercury and Venus)
63. The Big Dipper is one of the easiest constellations to find. Using its pointer stars,
you can find the Little Dipper. Which important navigational star does the Little Dipper
contain?
The North Star
64. What is another name for the North Star, which is also the name of a major
snowmobile and ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle) manufacturer?
Polaris
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65. “They danced by the light of the moon, The moon, The moon, They danced by the
light of the moon.” This is the closing line of what famous nonsense poem, by Edward
Lear, featuring a bird and a feline?
The Owl and the Pussycat
66. What is Florida’s state nickname?
The Sunshine State
67. If you apply Coppertone to your skin, you are trying to avoid sunburn. What kind of
rays cause sunburn?
Ultraviolet (UV)
68. The troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere are three of the six layers that
make up Earth’s what?
Atmosphere
(the others are thermosphere, exosphere, and magnetosphere).
69. This layer of the stratosphere shields the Earth by absorbing much of the sun’s UV
radiation. We worry about a hole in it caused by aerosol products and other chemical
sources. What is this layer called?
Ozone layer
70. An astronomical event that occurs when one body is temporarily obscured, either
by passing into the shadow of another body or when another body passes between it
and the viewer.
Eclipse
(hint: there are solar and lunar of these)
71. Solar winds are made of this form of matter. This form is also used in flat screen
TVs. The name of this form of matter is the same name as a component in blood.
Plasma
72. This popular song was featured in the musical Western “Paint Your Wagon.” It was
about the wind, and the title referred to what name it is called by. What’s the song title?
They Call the Wind Maria
73. A nickname for Chicago, based on its typical weather!
The Windy City
74. Approximately how many inches of snow is equivalent to an inch of rain?
10–12 inches
75. What instrument measures atmospheric pressure?
Barometer
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76. Another name for the trail left behind a jet, also known as a jet trail is contrail. This
workd is an abbreviation of what word, plus trail.
Condensation. Condensation trail.
76. The Midwest has blizzards. The southern plains have tornadoes. What weather
phenomenon does the East Coast have, named for the direction that winds move along
the coastline?
Nor’easter
77. What is the name of the 2005 hurricane that moved along the Gulf coast from
Florida to Texas, devastating New Orleans, Louisiana?
Hurricane Katrina
78. The perceived decreasing in air temperature felt by the body on exposed skin due
to the flow of air is known as what?
Wind chill
(this number is lower than the real temperature!)
79. Nitric and sulfuric acids deposited by precipitation, usually in the form of rain.
Acid rain
80. This word, used to describe a hazy form of pollution, was made from a blend of the
words “fog” and “smoke.”
Smog
81. Gases that trap heat in the atmosphere are called greenhouse gases. They are
regulated by this federal agency, which commonly goes by a three-letter acronym. Give
the full name of the agency.
EPA (Environmental Protection Agency)
82. A combination of drought and a failure to apply dryland farming methods to
prevent soil erosion caused this 1930s disaster in the Great Plains.
Dust Bowl
83. When you are feeling a bit ill, you might use this meteorological idiom to describe
what it is that you’re under.
Under the weather
84. An empty wish or promise might be described as one of these in the sky.
Pie (pie in the sky)
85. It’s a perfect day for this question! As Dean Martin sang,
When the moon hits your eye, like a big pizza pie, that’s what?
Amore
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When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie
That's amore
When the world seems to shine like you've had too much wine
That's amore
Bells will ring ting-a-ling-a-ling, ting-a-ling-a-ling
And you'll sing "Vita bella"
Hearts will play tippy-tippy-tay, tippy-tippy-tay
Like a gay tarantella
86. This popular song published in 1909 was featured in a 1953 musical of the same
name, starring Doris Day and Gordon MacRae. It’s title features a familiar planetary
object.
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
(Hint: involves the orb that revolves around our planet and its light)
87. This song from wedding scene of “Fiddler on the Roof” involves a solar event that
happens every morning and evening.
Sunrise, Sunset
88. The title of this Classic Western, starring Gary Cooper and Grace Kelly, includes a
climax that takes place at a time opposite to midnight.
High Noon
89. Tequila, orange juice, and grenadine in a tall glass make this popular drink you
might enjoy – though maybe not first thing in the morning.
Tequila Sunrise
90. If the Buffalo Gals come out tonight, what might they do?
Dance by the light of the moon
Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight,
Come out tonight, come out tonight.
Buffalo Gals, won't you come out tonight
And dance by the light of the moon.
91. Halley and Hale-Bopp are both names of what kind of astronomical objects?
Comets
92. A “shooting star” is actually one of these objects, that burns up on entering the
earth’s atmosphere.
Meteor
Another name for “shooting star” is “falling star.”
93. As Frank Sinatra sang it, “Are the stars out tonight? I don’t know if it’s cloudy or
bright.” Why?
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“Cause I only have eyes for you….”
Are the stars out tonight?
I don't know if it's cloudy or bright
'Cause I only have eyes for you, dear
The moon may be high
But I can't see a thing in the sky
'Cause I only have eyes for you
94. This is the only planet named for a goddess.
Venus
(also a great tennis player)
95. This ringed planet is named for the father of Jupiter.
Saturn
96. This planet is, in Roman mythology, named for the king of the sea.
Neptune
97. The planet is, in Greek mythology, named for the god of the underworld
Pluto
(also a Disney dog)