Conversations / Astronomy
Astronomy Conversation Questions for Adult ESL Classes
Use these 20 discussion questions about Astronomy to run a full speaking lesson with adult learners (B1–B2). Each part opens with a vocabulary warm-up, every question is labelled with the thinking skill it practises, and each part fills roughly thirty minutes of class time on its own.
Reviewed by Brando Oxley · 14 Aug 2026
Part 1
Looking at the Night Sky
Focus: sharing experiences with the night sky, discussing curiosity about space, comparing places for stargazing, and explaining personal interests
Think of one object in space, one action connected to astronomy, and one place where people might observe the sky.
Describe each word without saying it directly. Your teacher or partner must guess the word.
EXPERIENCE
What do you usually notice when you look at the night sky?
PREFERENCE
Which interests you more: the Moon, planets, stars, or galaxies? Explain why.
EXPERIENCE
Have you ever seen a particularly clear or beautiful night sky? Describe the experience.
COMPARE
How is looking at the stars in a city different from looking at them in the countryside?
EXPLAIN
Why do you think people have been interested in the stars for thousands of years?
CULTURE
Are there any stories, beliefs, or traditions about the Moon or stars in your country?
PLAN
If you wanted to spend an evening stargazing, how would you prepare for it?
IMAGINE
If you could see one object in space through a powerful telescope, what would you choose and why?
EVALUATE
Why might learning about astronomy change the way people think about Earth?
RECOMMEND
What would you recommend to someone who wants to become more interested in astronomy?
Part 2
Space Exploration and the Future
Focus: discussing space travel, scientific exploration, risks, costs, technology, and possible future life beyond Earth
Choose one word from each category: Person: astronaut, scientist, tourist, engineer; Action: launch, explore, discover, repair; Place: Moon, Mars, space station, Earth; Feeling: excited, nervous, curious, amazed. Use your four words to describe a short scene in two or three sentences.
PREFERENCE
Would you like to travel into space if it became safe and affordable? Explain why or why not.
COMPARE
How might traveling in space be different from traveling to another country on Earth?
DISCUSS
What do you think are the most exciting reasons for exploring space?
EVALUATE
What are the advantages and disadvantages of spending large amounts of money on space exploration?
IMAGINE
If humans built a permanent base on the Moon, what would people need in order to live there?
PROBLEM-SOLVE
Imagine astronauts lose an important piece of equipment during a mission. What should they do first?
DISCUSS
Should ordinary tourists be allowed to travel into space if they can afford it? Explain your opinion.
PREDICT
What kinds of jobs might exist in space in the future?
EVALUATE
If scientists discovered simple life on another planet, how important would that discovery be?
REFLECT
Do you think humans will eventually live on another planet? What would need to happen first?