Question 1

A serial killer from a strange cult only kills his victims when the Moon is full. He leaves a note on the body of his latest victim, explaining that the murder was committed when the Moon was rising. What time of day did the murder take place?

Accepted Answer

When the Moon is full, it is directly opposite the Sun relative to Earth. Therefore, a full Moon rises roughly around sunset.

Question 2

During what phase of the Moon is the Moon up only during the night hours and all night long?

Accepted Answer

During the full moon phase, the Moon is on the opposite side of Earth from the sun, and it is visible all night long, rising at sunset and setting at sunrise.

Question 3

Why does the Moon show phases in the course of a month?

Accepted Answer

The phases of the Moon are caused by the changing angle of the Moon with respect to the Sun as the Moon orbits the Earth. This causes us to see differing amounts of the Moon's illuminated surface as it turns towards or away from the Sun.

Question 4

The period of the moon's rotation on its axis is

Accepted Answer

The period of the moon's rotation on its axis is the same as its revolution around the Earth, which is why we always see the same side of the Moon from Earth. This phenomenon is known as synchronous rotation or tidal locking.

Question 5

You and some friends decide (during a wild party held at the time of the Full Moon) that you cannot live without having the secret recipe for the veggie burger they serve in the college cafeteria. So you decide to plan a break-in to steal the recipe from the chef's office. So that you don't get caught, you want to carry out your plan when there is no moonlight in the evening. What is the next phase of the Moon with no evening moonlight (i.e. when the Moon rises roughly at midnight or later)?

Accepted Answer

The answer of You and some friends decide (during a...

Question 6

The terms "a.m." and "p.m." (as in see you at the movies at 8:30 p.m.) derive from what astronomical idea?

Accepted Answer

The terms "a.m." (ante meridiem) and "p.m." (post meridiem) refer to the times before and after the Sun passes through the local meridian, which is roughly the middle of the day. This is directly related to the apparent motion of the Sun across the sky.

Question 7

A dashing Romanian count asks his sweetheart to marry him. She says she will give her reply when the Moon is full. If he asked when the Moon was at first quarter, how long will he have to wait?

Accepted Answer

The Moon takes approximately 29.5 days to complete a cycle from new Moon to new Moon. The first quarter occurs about a week after the new Moon, and the full Moon occurs about a week after the first quarter. Therefore, he would have to wait about a week.

Question 8

A friend of yours (who has not had the benefit of an astronomy course) tells you about a report he has read in a tabloid newspaper. They claim that on the dark side of the Moon, which is never in sunlight, there is a secret base of aliens who cannot stand light, and who send UFO's to Earth under the cover of darkness. Ignoring the UFO claim for a moment, what is the scientific error in this story?

Accepted Answer

The statement that there is a dark side of the Moon that never sees sunlight is false. The Moon goes through phases such that all sides are illuminated by the Sun in the course of a month.

Question 9

Why was the problem of devising a workable yearly calendar so difficult on Earth?

Accepted Answer

The problem of devising a workable yearly calendar was difficult on Earth because the Earth's rotation period does not divide evenly into the Earth's period of revolution, which makes it difficult to divide time into equal parts. This is why different calendars have been used throughout history and why there have been reforms and adjustments to the calendar over time.

Question 10

If you could see the new moon, at what time of day (roughly) would it rise?

Accepted Answer

The new moon rises roughly at sunrise, as it is located between the Earth and the Sun, meaning it follows the sun's path across the sky.

Question 11

The seven days of the week are named after:

Accepted Answer

The seven days of the week are named after the seven "wandering" objects in the sky that were visible to the ancients: the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn. Each day of the week is associated with one of these objects.

Question 12

Which statement about the solar month and the sidereal month is correct?

Accepted Answer

The solar month is approximately 29.5 days, while the sidereal month is approximately 27.3 days. Therefore, the solar month is more than two days longer than the sidereal month.

Question 13

During the period we have daylight savings time, we

Accepted Answer

During daylight savings time, we add one hour to local standard time. This is done in order to artificially extend the amount of daylight available in the evenings during certain months of the year.

Question 14

A friend of yours who takes her astronomy class very seriously challenges you to a contest to find the thinnest crescent moon you can find just after new moon? What time of day is best for looking for this very thin crescent?

Accepted Answer

The best time to look for the thin crescent moon is just after sunset or just before sunrise, when the sky is still relatively dark but the moon is visible. Choosing noon or late morning would not be ideal as the sun's brightness would make it difficult to spot the moon. Midnight and 3 to 4 am are also not ideal as the moon will not be in the right position in the sky at those times.

Question 15

Which of the following statements about the International Date Line is correct?

Accepted Answer

When crossing the International Date Line from west to east, you must decrease the date by one day. This is because you are essentially going back in time by a full day. Option A is incorrect because the International Date Line does not run through Greenwich, England. Option C is incorrect because there are many places on Earth where standard time equals mean solar time. Option D is incorrect because time at the International Date Line is measured with respect to the Sun, not the Moon. Option E is incorrect because it is a nonsensical statement and has nothing to do with the International Date Line.

Question 16

If you could somehow return to the Earth in many millions of years, which of the following will be different?

Accepted Answer

The length of the month will be different due to the gradual slowing of the Earth's rotation and the corresponding increase in the distance between the Earth and the Moon. This process lengthens the day and the month over long time scales.

Question 17

When England and the American colonies finally adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1752, what dramatic change had to be made?

Accepted Answer

The adoption of the Gregorian calendar required dropping 12 days from the calendar to bring it in line with the correct date and seasons, as the Julian calendar used previously had an error that caused the date to drift over time.

Question 18

A writer of mystery novels wants to portray something gruesome happening just as the full moon is at its highest point in the sky. What time of day will the gruesome event occur?

Accepted Answer

The full moon is at its highest point in the sky at midnight, so the gruesome event would occur roughly around that time.

Question 19

The Julian calendar made the significant advance of:

Accepted Answer

The Julian calendar introduced the concept of a leap year, where every fourth year had an extra day, to account for the fact that the Earth's orbit around the Sun is slightly longer than 365 days. This was a significant advance in the way the length of the year was calculated and helped to keep the calendar in sync with the seasons.

Question 20

How did the world's countries solve the problem that mean solar time varies continuously as a traveler's longitude changes?

Accepted Answer

The world was divided into 24 time zones, each 15 degrees of longitude wide, with all communities within a time zone keeping the same mean standard time. This system was adopted in 1884 at the International Meridian Conference in Washington D.C. and is still in use today.

Quiz 4: Earth, Moon, and Sky