Deck 2: Discovering the Universe for Yourself

Question 1

What is the ecliptic?

A)when the Moon passes in front of the Sun
B)the Moon's apparent path along the celestial sphere
C)the constellations commonly used in astrology to predict the future
D)the Sun's daily path across the sky
E)the Sun's apparent path along the celestial sphere

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Why do we have seasons on Earth?

A)As Earth goes around the Sun and Earth's axis remains pointed toward Polaris,the Northern and Southern hemispheres alternately receive more and less direct sunlight.
B)The tilt of Earth's axis constantly changes between 0 and 23 1/2°,giving us summer when Earth is tilted more and winter when it is straight up.
C)Earth's distance from the Sun varies,so that it is summer when we are closer to the Sun and winter when we are farther from the Sun.
D)Seasons are caused by the influence of the planet Jupiter on our orbit.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

By locating the north celestial pole (NCP)in the sky,how can you determine your latitude?

A)The altitude of the NCP is the same as your latitude.
B)The altitude of the NCP is your angular distance from the North Pole.
C)The azimuth of the NCP is the same as your latitude.
D)The azimuth of the NCP is the angular distance from the North Pole.
E)The altitude of the NCP is the same as your distance from the North Pole.

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which of the following correctly describes the meridian in your sky?

A)a half-circle extending from your horizon due east,through your zenith,to your horizon due west
B)a half-circle extending from your horizon due north,through your zenith,to your horizon due south
C)a half-circle extending from your horizon due east,through the north celestial pole,to your horizon due west
D)the point directly over your head
E)the boundary between the portion of the celestial sphere you can see at any moment and the portion that you cannot see

Question 5

If it is midnight in New York,it is

A)daytime in Sydney,Australia.
B)midnight in Sydney,Australia.
C)midnight in Los Angeles.
D)midday in Rio de Janeiro,Brazil.
E)midnight everywhere.

Question 6

Which of the following statements about circumpolar stars is true at all latitudes?

A)They are the stars close to the north celestial pole.
B)They always remain above your horizon.
C)They make relatively small circles,traveling clockwise around the north celestial pole.
D)Like all other stars,they rise in the east and set in the west.
E)You cannot see them from the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 7

We can describe a position on Earth's surface by stating its

A)altitude and azimuth.
B)altitude and direction.
C)latitude and direction.
D)latitude and longitude.
E)meridian and longitude.

Question 8

Which of the following statements about the celestial equator is true at all latitudes?

A)It lies along the band of light we call the Milky Way.
B)It represents an extension of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere.
C)It cuts the dome of your sky exactly in half.
D)It extends from your horizon due east,through your zenith,to your horizon due west.
E)It extends from your horizon due north,through your zenith,to your horizon due south.

Question 9

You are standing on Earth's equator.Which way is Polaris,the North star?

A)30 degrees up,due West
B)on the northern horizon
C)directly overhead
D)The answer depends on whether it's winter or summer.
E)The answer depends on what time of day (or night)it is.

Question 10

What makes the North Star,Polaris,special?

A)It is the brightest star in the sky.
B)It is the star straight overhead.
C)It appears very near the north celestial pole.
D)It is the star directly on your northern horizon.
E)It can be used to determine your longitude on Earth.

Question 11

How many stars can you see with your naked eye on a clear,moonless night from a dark location?

A)fewer than a thousand
B)a few thousand
C)about ten thousand
D)about a hundred thousand
E)more than you could count in your lifetime

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the modern definition of a constellation?

A)a region of the celestial sphere
B)a pattern of bright stars in the sky
C)a Greek mythological figure
D)a collection of stars that are near one another in space
E)a group of stars that all lie at about the same distance from Earth

Question 13

Why is it summer in the Northern Hemisphere when it is winter in the Southern Hemisphere?

A)The Northern Hemisphere is closer to the Sun than the Southern Hemisphere.
B)The Northern Hemisphere is "on top" of Earth and therefore receives more sunlight.
C)The Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun and receives more direct sunlight.
D)The Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun and receives more indirect sunlight.
E)It isn't: both hemispheres have the same seasons at the same time.

Question 14

Which of the following statements does not use the term angular size or angular distance correctly?

A)The angular size of the Moon is about 1/2 degree.
B)The angular distance between those two houses in the distance is 30°.
C)The angular distance between those two bright stars in the sky is about 2 meters.
D)The angular size of the Sun is about the same as that of the Moon.
E)You can use your outstretched hand to estimate angular sizes and angular distances.

Question 15

When we look into the band of light in our sky that we call the Milky Way,can we see distant galaxies? Why or why not?

A)Yes,they appear as small,fuzzy patches on the other side of our galaxy.
B)Yes,there are many other galaxies that we see inside the Milky Way.
C)No,because the stars,gas,and dust of the Milky Way block us from seeing them,however we can see close galaxies.
D)No,because there are only galaxies above and below the plane of the Milky Way.
E)No,we cannot see any other galaxies from Earth.

Question 16

Which of the following statements about the celestial sphere is not true?

A)When we look in the sky,the stars all appear to be located on the celestial sphere.
B)Earth is placed at the center of the celestial sphere.
C)The celestial sphere does not exist physically.
D)The "celestial sphere" is just another name for our universe.
E)From any location on Earth,we can see only half the celestial sphere at any one time.

Question 17

What is a circumpolar star?

A)a star that is close to the north celestial pole
B)a star that is close to the south celestial pole
C)a star that always remains above your horizon and appears to rotate around the celestial pole
D)a star that makes a daily circle around the celestial sphere
E)a star that is visible from the Arctic or Antarctic circles

Question 18

Orion is visible on winter evenings in the northern hemisphere but not summer evenings because of

A)interference from the full Moon.
B)the tilt of Earth's axis.
C)the location of Earth in its orbit.
D)the precession of Earth's axis.
E)baseball on television.

Question 19

How many arcseconds are in 1°?

A)60
B)360
C)3,600
D)100
E)10,000

Question 20

Which of the following statements is true?

A)Both the Northern and Southern hemispheres receive the same amount of sunlight on the equinoxes.
B)Both the Northern and Southern hemispheres receive the same amount of sunlight on the solstices.
C)The Northern Hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight on the summer solstice.
D)The Southern Hemisphere receives the most direct sunlight on the summer solstice.
E)Both A and C are true.

Question 21

In which direction does a quarter Moon rise?

A)north
B)south
C)east
D)west
E)The Moon becomes a quarter Moon only after it has risen and changed phase.

Question 22

If the Moon rises around 3 A.M. ,its phase must be

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

Question 23

At approximately what time would a full Moon be on your meridian?

A)6 A.M.
B)9 A.M.
C)noon
D)6 P.M.
E)midnight

Question 24

Ashen light (or earthshine)is

A)sunlight reflected by Earth that illuminates the "dark" portion of the Moon.
B)the sunlight that shines on the face of the Moon that we never see.
C)the light from the Moon that illuminates Earth's surface at night.
D)the light we see at dawn just before the Sun rises.
E)the light we see at dusk just after the Sun sets.

Question 25

In addition to the conditions required for any solar eclipse,what must also be true in order for you to observe a total solar eclipse?

A)Earth must lie completely within the Moon's umbra.
B)Earth must lie completely within the Moon's penumbra.
C)Earth must be near aphelion in its orbit of the Sun.
D)The Moon's umbra must touch the area where you are located.
E)The Moon's penumbra must touch the area where you are located.

Question 26

All of the following statements are true.Which one explains the reason why there is not a solar eclipse at every new Moon?

A)The nodes of the Moon's orbit precess with an 18-year period.
B)The orbital plane of the Moon is tilted by about 5° to the ecliptic plane.
C)The Moon rotates synchronously with its revolution about Earth.
D)The sidereal month is shorter than the lunar month.
E)The Moon is the primary cause of tides on Earth.

Question 27

When someone on Earth observes the Moon in the first-quarter phase,someone on the Moon facing Earth observes Earth in the

A)new Earth phase.
B)first-quarter Earth phase.
C)crescent Earth phase.
D)third-quarter Earth phase.
E)full Earth phase.

Question 28

At approximately what time would a first quarter Moon rise?

A)6 A.M.
B)9 A.M.
C)noon
D)6 P.M.
E)midnight

Question 29

If the Moon is setting at noon,the phase of the Moon must be

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

Question 30

If the Moon is rising at midnight,the phase of the Moon must be

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

Question 31

What conditions are required for a solar eclipse?

A)The phase of the Moon must be new,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun.
B)The phase of the Moon must be full,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun.
C)The phase of the Moon can be new or full,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun.
D)The phase of the Moon must be new,and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic.
E)The phase of the Moon must be full,and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic.

Question 32

What conditions are required for a lunar eclipse?

A)The phase of the Moon must be new,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun.
B)The phase of the Moon must be full,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun.
C)The phase of the Moon can be new or full,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun.
D)The phase of the Moon must be new,and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic.
E)The phase of the Moon must be full,and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic.

Question 33

Which of the following statements about lunar phases is true?

A)The time between new Moons is two weeks.
B)The time from one new Moon to the next new Moon is the same as the time from first-quarter Moon to third-quarter Moon.
C)The full Moon sometimes rises around midnight.
D)It is possible to have two full Moons during January,but not usually during February.
E)It is possible to have two full Moons during November,but not during December.

Question 34

Which of the following statements about the Moon is true?

A)The Moon goes through a cycle of phases because it always has the same side facing Earth.
B)If you see a full Moon from North America,someone in South America would see a new Moon.
C)The Moon's distance from Earth varies during its orbit.
D)The Moon is visible only at night.
E)The side of the Moon facing away from Earth is in perpetual darkness.

Question 35

Suppose you live on the Moon.How long is a day (i.e. ,from sunrise to sunrise)?

A)23 hours 56 minutes
B)24 hours
C)a lunar month
D)a year
E)about 18 years

Question 36

What effect or effects would be most significant if the Moon's orbital plane were exactly the same as the ecliptic plane?

A)Solar eclipses would be much rarer.
B)Solar eclipses would be much more frequent.
C)Solar eclipses would last much longer.
D)both A and C
E)both B and C

Question 37

If the Moon is setting at 6 A.M. ,the phase of the Moon must be

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

Question 38

Which of the following is not a phase of the Moon?

A)first-quarter Moon
B)third-quarter Moon
C)half Moon
D)new Moon
E)full Moon

Question 39

Which of the following statements about constellations is false?

A)There are only 88 official constellations.
B)Some constellations can be seen from both the Northern and Southern hemispheres.
C)Some constellations can be seen in both the winter and summer.
D)It is possible to see all the constellations from Earth's equator.
E)Most constellations will be unrecognizable hundreds of years from now.

Question 40

Why do we see essentially the same face of the Moon at all times?

A)because the other face points toward us only at new Moon,when we can't see the Moon
B)because the Moon does not rotate
C)because the Moon's rotational and orbital periods are equal
D)because the Sun illuminates only one half at a time
E)because the Moon has a nearly circular orbit around Earth

Question 41

What causes the apparent retrograde motion of the planets?

A)As Earth passes another planet,its gravitational pull slows down the other planet so that it appears to be traveling backward.
B)When planets are farther from the Sun,they move slower than when they are nearer the Sun;it is during this slower period that they appear to move backwards.
C)The other planets never really appear to move backward;the background stars shift due to Earth's revolution around the Sun.
D)As Earth passes another planet,the other planet appears to move backward with respect to the background stars,but the planet's motion does not actually change.
E)Apparent retrograde motion is an illusion created by turbulence in Earth's atmosphere.

Question 42

Ancient people who knew the Saros cycle could

A)completely predict every lunar eclipse.
B)completely predict every solar eclipse.
C)predict what type of eclipse would occur.
D)predict when they'd see the next total solar eclipse in their area.
E)predict when an eclipse would happen,but not necessarily what type and where it would be visible.

Question 43

If the Moon is relatively far from Earth,so that the umbra does not reach Earth,someone directly behind the umbra will see

A)a penumbral lunar eclipse.
B)a partial lunar eclipse.
C)a partial solar eclipse.
D)an annular eclipse.
E)no eclipse.

Question 44

When are eclipse seasons?

A)in the spring and fall
B)in the summer and winter
C)when the nodes of the Moon's orbit are nearly aligned with the Sun
D)when Earth and the Sun are aligned with one another
E)during an eclipse

Question 45

You can find the tilt of Earth's axis by measuring the angle between your horizon and the North Star.

Question 46

If part of the full Moon passes through Earth's umbra,we will see a(n)

A)total lunar eclipse.
B)penumbral lunar eclipse.
C)partial lunar eclipse.
D)partial solar eclipse.
E)annular eclipse.

Question 47

In South Africa,it's usually quite warm around the time of the Northern Hemisphere winter solstice and quite cool around the time of the summer solstice.

Question 48

The seasons on Earth are caused by its elliptical orbit around the Sun.

Question 49

We can't detect stellar parallax with naked-eye observations.Which of the following would make parallax easier to observe?

A)increasing the size of Earth's orbit
B)speeding up Earth's rotational motion
C)slowing down Earth's rotational motion
D)speeding up the precession of Earth's axis
E)getting away from streetlights

Question 50

Columbus was the first person to discover that Earth is round.

Question 51

Which of the following statements about stellar parallax is true?

A)We observe all stars to exhibit at least a slight amount of parallax.
B)Stellar parallax was first observed by ancient Greek astronomers.
C)The amount of parallax we see depends on how fast a star is moving relative to us.
D)It takes at least 10 years of observation to measure a star's parallax.
E)The closer a star is to us,the more parallax it exhibits.

Question 52

What effect does the precession of the Moon's nodes have on eclipses?

A)there is a lunar eclipse every 6 months
B)there is a solar eclipse every 6 months
C)the eclipse seasons occur less than 6 months apart
D)the vernal equinox will be in Aquarius in a few hundred years
E)there are never two solar eclipses in the same year

Question 53

What is the Saros cycle?

A)the roughly 6-month period between eclipse seasons
B)the 18-year cycle over which the pattern of eclipses repeats
C)the period between total solar eclipses
D)the period between a total solar eclipse and a total lunar eclipse
E)the period between eclipses

Question 54

Which of the following never appears to exhibit retrograde motion?

A)the Sun
B)Venus
C)Mars
D)Jupiter
E)Saturn

Question 55

Why are lunar eclipses more commonly seen than solar eclipses?

A)Lunar eclipses occur at night and are easier to see.
B)The Moon goes around the Earth faster than the Earth goes around the Sun.
C)The Earth casts a bigger shadow than the Moon.
D)The tilt of the Moon's axis is smaller than the Earth's.
E)The Moon is much closer to the Earth than the Sun.

Question 56

What happens during the apparent retrograde motion of a planet?

A)The planet rises in the west and sets in the east.
B)The planet appears to move westward with respect to the stars over a period of many nights.
C)The planet moves backward through the sky over the course of a night.
D)The planet moves backward in its orbit around the Sun.
E)The planet moves through constellations that are not part of the zodiac.

Question 57

Which of the following statements about parallax is not true?

A)You can demonstrate parallax simply by holding up a finger and looking at it alternately from your left and right eyes.
B)The existence of stellar parallax is direct proof that Earth orbits the Sun.
C)Measurement of stellar parallax allows us to determine distances to nearby stars.
D)The technique of stellar parallax was used by Hubble to determine that the Andromeda Galaxy (M 31)is about 2 million light-years away.
E)Ancient astronomers were unable to measure parallax and used the absence of observed parallax as an argument in favor of an Earth-centered universe.

Question 58

At midnight it is sometimes possible to observe the crescent Moon on the meridian.

Question 59

The Milky Way can be seen only from the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 60

Why were ancient peoples unable to detect stellar parallax?

A)They did not look for it.
B)They could not see distant stars.
C)They did not have the ability to measure very small angles.
D)They did not observe for long enough periods of time.
E)They did detect it,but they rejected the observations.

Question 61

A lunar eclipse occurs only when the Moon is new.

Question 62

The stars of Orion's belt rise in the east and set in the west.

A)Earth rotates once each day.
B)Earth revolves around the Sun once each year.
C)The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years.
D)Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood
E)The universe is expanding.

Question 63

Lunar eclipses are more commonly seen than solar eclipses.

Question 64

It is possible to see the third-quarter Moon near the western horizon at sunrise.

Question 65

The Big Dipper will look different 100,000 years from now than it does today.

A)Earth rotates once each day.
B)Earth revolves around the Sun once each year.
C)The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years.
D)Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood
E)The universe is expanding.

Question 66

A million years from now,Alpha Centauri will no longer be the nearest star system to our own.

A)Earth rotates once each day.
B)Earth revolves around the Sun once each year.
C)The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years.
D)Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood
E)The universe is expanding.

Question 67

In the year A.D.15,000,Vega will be a better north star than Polaris.

A)Earth rotates once each day.
B)Earth revolves around the Sun once each year.
C)The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years.
D)Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood
E)The universe is expanding.

Question 68

If Earth's axis had no tilt,would we still have seasons? Why or why not?

Question 69

Polaris will no longer be the North Star 1,000 years from now.

A)Earth rotates once each day.
B)Earth revolves around the Sun once each year.
C)The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years.
D)Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood
E)The universe is expanding.

Question 70

The Moon and the Sun are approximately the same angular size.

Question 71

The Moon rises in the east and sets in the west.

A)Earth rotates once each day.
B)Earth revolves around the Sun once each year.
C)The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years.
D)Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood
E)The universe is expanding.

Question 72

It is possible to see the full Moon rising just before sunrise.

Question 73

Consider the following statement,and explain whether or not it is sensible: If you had a very fast spaceship,you could travel to the celestial sphere in about 100 years.

Question 74

If you lived on the Moon,you'd see full Earth when we see new Moon.

Question 75

Process of Science: Because we do not see stellar parallaxes with our eyes,we conclude that the Earth is at the center of the Solar System.

Question 76

Consider the following statement,and explain whether or not it is sensible: Although all the known stars appear to rise in the east and set in the west,we might someday discover a star that will appear to rise in the west and set in the east.

Question 77

Why does the Milky Way appear as a band of light in the sky?

Question 78

A solar eclipse occurs only when the Moon is new.

Question 79

It is possible to view the Moon in first-quarter phase the day after a total lunar eclipse.

Question 80

Consider the following statement,and explain whether or not it is sensible: When I looked into the dark fissure of the Milky Way with my binoculars,I saw what must have been a cluster of distant galaxies.