Deck 1: Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy

Question 1

The full moon rises around sunrise,and sets around sunset.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The distances to bodies in the solar system are a few light minutes to light hours.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The parallax shift of a star would be greater if viewed from Mars than from Earth.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

It was Aristotle who used the scientific method to show the Earth was a sphere.

Question 5

From the South Pole,Polaris would appear directly overhead.

Question 6

An effective theory must:

A) have been proven.
B) must have been around for centuries or longer.
C) be continuously tested.
D) include mathematical formulae.

Question 7

If a star rises about 9 PM tonight,and with the sidereal day being four minutes less than the solar one,then in a month it will rise about 7 PM.

Question 8

Constellations are close clusters of stars,all at about the same distance from the Sun.

Question 9

Over the course of a night,Polaris moves less than any other visible star in the sky.

Question 10

The first quarter moon will rise about noon,and set about midnight.

Question 11

From full moon to third quarter moon takes about a week.

Question 12

Only at the equator are all the stars visible over the course of the year.

Question 13

Which of the choices below correctly lists things in order from largest to smallest?

A) Local Group, Solar System, Milky Way, Universe
B) Universe, Milky Way, Local Group, Solar System
C) Solar System, Local Group, Universe, Milky Way
D) Universe, Local Group, Milky Way, Solar System
E) Milky Way, Universe, Solar System, Local Group

Question 14

From Earth,the Sun and Moon have about the same angular diameter.

Question 15

At apogee,the Moon is at its farthest from Earth and thus appears smaller than normal.Because of this it can produce only annular solar eclipses,but not total solar eclipses.

Question 16

Modern scientific theories are NOT:

A) testable.
B) continuously tested.
C) simple.
D) perfect.
E) elegant.

Question 17

As it orbits the Earth,the Moon appears to move eastward about its own diameter every hour.

Question 18

There are 3,600 arc seconds in a degree.

Question 19

A light-year is a measurement of time.

Question 20

Aristotle's hypothesis was that:

A) lunar eclipses were created by our shadow.
B) only a spherical Earth would always cast a circular shadow on the Moon.
C) lunar eclipses would have to happen every full moon.
D) the Sun lay at the center of the planet orbits.
E) the Moon orbited the Earth.

Question 21

The places where the Sun crosses the equator are called the:

A) annalemmas.
B) prime meridians.
C) zeniths.
D) equinoxes.
E) solstices.

Question 22

What celestial line is a product of the Earth's orbit around the Sun?

A) Ecliptic
B) Prime Meridian
C) Equator
D) Galactic Plane
E) Analemma

Question 23

Which statement about the ecliptic is FALSE?

A) The Sun appears to move about a degree per day eastward long it.
B) It is tilted 23.5 degrees with respect to the equator.
C) The year is marked by the Sun's return to the same place along it.
D) The Moon can never leave it, but moves twelve times faster than the Sun.
E) The major planets stay close to it, but not always on it.

Question 24

From a location in the United States of America,a star is observed to be rising due East.Where will this star be located 6 hours later?

A) directly overhead
B) high in the Northern sky
C) high in the southern sky
D) setting due West
E) The location of the star cannot be determined from the information given.

Question 25

Seasons on Earth are primarily caused by:

A) the distance from the Earth to the Sun.
B) the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis.
C) the tilt of the Earth's magnetic axis.
D) the precession of the Earth's rotational axis.
E) the dates of the solstices and equinoxes.

Question 26

That Polaris will not always be the pole star is due to:

A) the sidereal day being shorter than the solar day.
B) precession shifting the celestial pole.
C) the Moon following the ecliptic, instead of the equator.
D) the Earth's revolution being slightly less than exactly 365.25 days.
E) the Solar winds blowing the Earth farther away from the Sun.

Question 27

The place the Sun stops its northward motion along the ecliptic is the:

A) equator.
B) prime meridian.
C) summer solstice.
D) vernal equinox.
E) node of the ecliptic.

Question 28

Where on Earth would you be if Polaris was at your zenith?

A) North Pole
B) Arctic Circle
C) Tropic of Cancer
D) Equator
E) It lies overhead everywhere on Earth.

Question 29

This diagram explains:

A) the difference between solar time and sidereal time.
B) precession.
C) the solar day's relation to the Moon.
D) the sidereal day's relation to the seasons.
E) the reason for the solstices.

Question 30

About how many stars are visible on a clear,dark night with the naked eye alone?

A) a few dozen
B) a few hundred
C) a few thousand
D) tens of thousands
E) millions and millions

Question 31

While watching a star,you see it moves 15 degrees across the sky.How long have you been watching it?

A) 1 hour
B) 3 hours
C) 15 minutes
D) 15 seconds
E) 1 minute

Question 32

You note that a particular star is directly overhead.It will be directly overhead again in:

A) 1 hour.
B) 12 hours.
C) 23 hours 56 minutes.
D) 24 hours.
E) 24 hours 4 minutes.

Question 33

Into how many constellations is the celestial sphere divided?

A) 12
B) 44
C) 57
D) 88
E) 110

Question 34

If your astrological sign is Aries,the Sun should be in the constellation Aries on your birthday.The dates,according to astrological tradition,during which the Sun is in the constellation Aries are March 21 to April 20th.In which constellation is the Sun actually in,during this time period?

A) Aquarius
B) Pisces
C) Aries
D) Taurus
E) Gemini

Question 35

Why did early civilizations observe constellations?

A) only for religious reasons
B) for practical reasons, such as navigation and helping to determine seasons
C) only for recreational reasons
D) only to predict a person's destiny

Question 36

Where on Earth can you observe all the stars in the sky over an entire year?

A) North Pole
B) Arctic Circle
C) Tropic of Cancer
D) Equator
E) Everyone on Earth can see the whole sky.

Question 37

What are constellations?

A) groups of galaxies gravitationally bound and close together in the sky
B) groups of stars making an apparent pattern in the celestial sphere
C) groups of stars gravitationally bound and appearing close together in the sky
D) ancient story boards, useless to modern astronomers
E) apparent groupings of stars and planets visible on a given evening

Question 38

A year is defined as:

A) the time it takes for Earth to complete a rotation on its axis.
B) the time it takes for the Moon to complete an orbit of Earth.
C) the time it takes for the Moon to complete a phase cycle.
D) the time it takes for Earth to complete an orbit around the Sun.
E) the time it takes for the Sun to complete an orbit around Earth.

Question 39

Where would you be if the Sun sets for six continuous months,beginning on September 23rd?

A) North Pole
B) Arctic Circle
C) Equator
D) Antarctic Circle
E) South Pole

Question 40

How long is the precession cycle?

A) 1 day
B) 29.5 days
C) 365.24 days
D) 18 years, 11.3 days
E) 26,000 years

Question 41

If the angular size of a spherical object is known,along with its distance from Earth,what third quantity can be determined?

A) the object's brightness
B) the object's mass
C) the baseline
D) the object's diameter

Question 42

Which statement about the length of a day is FALSE?

A) At the North Pole, the day lasts six months, then six months of night.
B) At the equator, every day is twelve hours long, then twelve hours of night.
C) For the United States, June 21st will be the longest day.
D) The solar day is four minutes longer than the sidereal one.
E) The sidereal day includes both the Earth's rotation and revolution around the Sun.

Question 43

Where would you be if the Sun passes through your zenith on December 21st?

A) Equator
B) Tropic of Cancer
C) Tropic of Capricorn
D) Antarctic Circle
E) South Pole

Question 44

A solar eclipse can only happen during a:

A) new moon.
B) solstice.
C) first quarter moon.
D) full moon.
E) perihelion passage of the Sun.

Question 45

Driving eastward just before sunrise,if you observe the Moon in the eastern sky,its phase must be:

A) full moon.
B) first quarter.
C) waxing Gibbous.
D) waning Crescent.
E) new moon.

Question 46

When the Sun rises,it is located in the constellation Gemini.When the Sun sets later that same day,it will be:

A) in the constellation Aries.
B) in the constellation Taurus.
C) in the constellation Gemini.
D) in the constellation Cancer.
E) in the constellation Leo.

Question 47

Which statement about the first quarter moon is FALSE?

A) It rises about noon.
B) From the Earth, it appears 25% sunlit.
C) It is the half moon of the evening sky.
D) It is highest in the sky at sunset.
E) It occurs about a week after new moon.

Question 48

A lunar eclipse can only happen during a:

A) new moon.
B) equinox.
C) full moon.
D) perigee.
E) aphelion.

Question 49

What conditions are necessary for an annular solar eclipse?

A) new moon on equator at perigee
B) full moon on ecliptic at perihelion
C) new moon on ecliptic at perigee
D) new moon on equator at apogee
E) new moon on ecliptic at apogee

Question 50

If Taurus is now rising at sunset,which constellation will rise at sunset next month?

A) Scorpius
B) Aquarius
C) Gemini
D) Aries
E) Pisces

Question 51

The angular size of an object depends on which two quantities?

A) the object's actual size and its mass
B) the object's distance from us and its brightness
C) the object's actual size and its distance from us
D) the objects brightness and its mass

Question 52

When the Moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky,its phase is:

A) new.
B) waxing or waning crescent.
C) first or third quarter.
D) waxing or waning gibbous.
E) full.

Question 53

What conditions are necessary for a partial solar eclipse?

A) new moon on ecliptic, with us in the penumbral shadow
B) full moon on equator, with us in the umbral shadow
C) new moon at perigee
D) full moon at apogee
E) first or third quarter moon at a node

Question 54

The last quarter phase of the Moon:

A) rises at sunrise.
B) sets at sunrise.
C) crosses the meridian at sunrise.
D) rises at sunset.
E) sets at sunset.

Question 55

If the Moon rose tonight at 6 PM,then tomorrow it will rise about:

A) the same time.
B) 7 PM.
C) 5 PM.
D) dawn.
E) midnight.

Question 56

If you are in the Moon's umbral shadow,then you will witness:

A) nighttime.
B) a total solar eclipse.
C) a total lunar eclipse.
D) a partial solar eclipse.
E) some kind of lunar eclipse.

Question 57

Why is there a two day difference in the sidereal and synodic months?

A) The Moon speeds up at perigee, and slows down at apogee.
B) The sidereal day is four minutes shorter than the solar day, and it adds up.
C) The Earth is closer to the Sun during the sidereal month.
D) The Earth is also revolving around the Sun, so the Moon must "catch up".
E) The Moslem lunar year is only 354 days long, on average.

Question 58

What conditions are necessary for a total solar eclipse?

A) new moon on ecliptic near perigee
B) full moon on ecliptic near aphelion
C) new moon on equator at perigee
D) full moon on equator at perigee
E) new moon on ecliptic near aphelion

Question 59

The constellations of the zodiac fall along:

A) the ecliptic.
B) the celestial equator.
C) lines of longitude.
D) lines of latitude.

Question 60

If new moon fell on March 2nd,what is the Moon's phase on March 14th?

A) waxing crescent
B) first quarter
C) waxing gibbous
D) full
E) waning crescent

Question 61

The Milky Way galaxy contains about ________ stars.

Question 62

Some type of solar eclipse will happen about:

A) every month at new moon.
B) every week at full moon.
C) every month at full moon.
D) about every six months at new moon.
E) every year at new moon.

Question 63

The Sun's lowest position in the sky occurs at the ________.

Question 64

If intending to teach his students the constellations by season,why would an astronomy instructor be advised to always assign the stars in the current western sky at the beginning of each term?

Question 65

Pensacola,Florida lies at a latitude of 30 degrees north.Where is Polaris in its sky?

Question 66

How far above or below the ecliptic can the Sun move?

Question 67

The Earth's circumference was first determined by:

A) Aristotle using lunar eclipses.
B) Pythagoras with geometry.
C) Hipparchus with stellar parallaxes.
D) Erastothenes with solstice shadows.
E) Aristarchus with first and third quarter Moon timings.

Question 68

The star Wolf 1061 has a parallax of 2.34 arcseconds,while the star Ross 652 has a parallax of 1.70 arcseconds.What can you correctly conclude?

A) Both stars are outside the Milky Way galaxy.
B) Wolf 1061 must have a larger proper motion than Ross 652.
C) Ross 652 must have a larger proper motion than Wolf 1061.
D) Ross 652 is closer to Earth than Wolf 1061.
E) Wolf 1061 is closer to Earth than Ross 652.

Question 69

The celestial sphere appears to move fastest above the ________.

Question 70

Astronomical objects are viewed against the background of the ________.

Question 71

Which is longer,the sidereal or solar day? By how much?

Question 72

Which of the following describes parallax?

A) It is best measured over exactly one year intervals.
B) It is inversely proportional to the distance to the star.
C) It was first observed by Galileo with his new telescope.
D) It is only applicable to objects within the solar system.
E) It is more accurate as the distances to objects become greater.

Question 73

If Sirius transits my local meridian tonight at 6:43 PM,when will it transit tomorrow?

Question 74

The four extra minutes in the solar day are due to our ________ around the Sun.

Question 75

The two days when the Sun rises due east and sets due west are the ________.

Question 76

A ________ is a framework of ideas and assumption used to explain some set of observations and make predictions about the real world.

Question 77

A star with a large parallax:

A) is at a great distance from Earth.
B) is moving at a great speed with respect to Earth.
C) is at a short distance from Earth.
D) is moving at a slow speed with respect to Earth.
E) is not moving with respect to Earth.

Question 78

The distances to other stars is best measured in ________.

Question 79

How far above and below the celestial equator can the Sun move?

Question 80

If a theory is testable,its underlying ________ and its ________ can be exposed to experimental verification.