Class 6 Science Chapter 12 Beyond Earth – Extra Questions with Answers

Extra practice questions for Class 6 Science Chapter 12 (Beyond Earth), beyond the textbook. These Class 6 Science Chapter 12 important questions are handy for last-minute exam practice.

Very Short Answer Questions (1 mark)

Q1. What is a constellation?
Ans: A recognisable pattern formed by joining stars with imaginary lines, often named after animals, objects, or characters.

Q2. Name two well-known constellations mentioned in the chapter.
Ans: The Big Dipper/Saptarishi (Ursa Major) and Orion.

Q3. What is Earth’s only natural satellite?
Ans: The Moon.

Q4. Does the Moon produce its own light?
Ans: No, it reflects sunlight.

Q5. Which galaxy contains our solar system?
Ans: The Milky Way.

Short Answer Questions (2–3 marks)

Q6. Explain why we see different constellations at different times of the year.
Ans: As Earth orbits the Sun and rotates on its axis, the part of space facing away from the Sun at night changes through the year, so different regions of the sky — and therefore different constellations — become visible at different times.

Q7. How can the Pole Star be located using the Big Dipper/Saptarishi?
Ans: The two outer stars of the Big Dipper’s “bowl” point in a line toward the Pole Star, which appears almost fixed in the northern sky because it lies close to Earth’s axis of rotation.

Q8. Why were constellations important to sailors before the compass was invented?
Ans: Recognisable star patterns, and stars like the Pole Star, helped sailors determine direction at night while navigating open seas, long before magnetic compasses existed.

Q9. Distinguish between a natural satellite and an artificial satellite.
Ans: A natural satellite, like the Moon, forms naturally and orbits a planet without human involvement. An artificial satellite is designed and launched by humans to orbit Earth for uses such as communication, weather forecasting, and navigation.

Q10. Why does the Moon show phases instead of always looking the same?
Ans: As the Moon orbits Earth, the fraction of its sunlit half that is visible from Earth keeps changing, producing the cycle of phases from new moon through to full moon and back.

Higher-Order Thinking / Application Questions

Q11. Two students observe the night sky on two different nights, a few months apart, and see different constellations overhead. Explain whether this means the stars have moved, and what is really happening.
Ans: The stars themselves have not moved noticeably — what changes is Earth’s position as it orbits the Sun and its orientation as it rotates. Over months, Earth’s changing position means a different part of space, with different constellations, faces the night side of Earth, which is why the visible sky changes with the seasons even though the stars stay in roughly the same place relative to each other.

Q12. If humans launch a new communication satellite around Earth, would it be classified as a natural or artificial satellite, and why does this classification matter?
Ans: It would be an artificial satellite, since it is built and launched by humans rather than forming naturally. The classification matters because artificial satellites can be purpose-built (for communication, weather monitoring, GPS, etc.) and placed in specific orbits, unlike natural satellites like the Moon, which follow a fixed natural orbit shaped by gravity alone.

Q13. The Milky Way is described as “one of billions of galaxies.” Using this idea, explain what lies beyond our solar system in order, starting from the nearest structure to the most distant.
Ans: Beyond our solar system lies more of the Milky Way galaxy itself — billions of other stars, many with their own planetary systems, held together by gravity. Beyond the Milky Way lie countless other galaxies, together making up the vast universe, of which the Milky Way is only one small part.

Written by Satish

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