Question 1

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.

Accepted Answer

During apogee, the Moon is too far away from Earth to completely cover the sun during a solar eclipse, resulting in an annular solar eclipse. At apogee, the Moon is too far from Earth to completely block out the Sun, resulting in only annular solar eclipses where the Sun appears as a ring of fire around the Moon.

Question 2

Scientific theories are proven by use of the scientific method.

Accepted Answer

Scientific theories cannot be proven, only supported or disproved by evidence gathered through the scientific method. Scientific theories cannot be proven, only supported or falsified through repeated experimentation and observation. The scientific method is used to gather evidence in support or against a theory, but it cannot definitively prove it.

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

The Universe is the largest, followed by the Local Group (which includes the Milky Way), then the Milky Way itself, and finally the Solar System. The Universe is the largest structure, followed by the Local Group of galaxies, which includes the Milky Way. The Solar System is smaller than the Milky Way and is only a part of the Milky Way. Therefore, the correct order from largest to smallest is Universe, Local Group, Milky Way, and Solar System.

Question 4

An accepted scientific theory could still be proven wrong.

Accepted Answer

An accepted scientific theory is always subject to being tested and challenged with new evidence and observations. If enough evidence is found that contradicts the theory, it could be proven wrong and replaced with a new theory that better explains the observations. This is part of the scientific process of continuous refinement and improvement of knowledge. An accepted scientific theory based on the current evidence and data available can always be falsified or replaced with new evidence and data. The scientific method is based on constant questioning and refinement of knowledge. Therefore, no theory is considered to be an absolute truth, and new evidence can always lead to the replacement or modification of an accepted theory.

Question 5

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

Accepted Answer

This is true. For example, it takes about 8 minutes for light to travel from the sun to Earth, while it takes over 4 hours for light to travel from the sun to Neptune. This is true. The distances to bodies within our solar system, such as the planets, are measured in light minutes to light hours. For example, the distance from the Sun to Earth is about 8 light minutes, while the distance to Pluto can be several light hours.

Question 6

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

Accepted Answer

The sidereal day is about 4 minutes shorter than the solar day, meaning the stars rise about 4 minutes earlier each night. In a month, which is about 30 days, the star will rise about 120 minutes earlier (4 minutes x 30 days) or about 2 hours earlier. Therefore, if the star rose at 9 PM tonight, in a month it will rise about 7 PM (9 PM - 2 hours = 7 PM). Since the sidereal day is shorter than the solar day, the stars rise about four minutes earlier each night. In a month (30 days), it will be about two hours earlier (30 days x 4 minutes/day = 120 minutes = 2 hours), so the star will rise about 7 PM instead of 9 PM.

Question 7

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

Accepted Answer

The parallax shift of a star is smaller if viewed from a location closer to the star. Mars is farther from the star than Earth, so the parallax shift would be greater when viewed from Mars. The parallax shift of a star is directly proportional to the distance between the observer and the star. Mars is further away from the star than Earth, hence the parallax shift would be greater if viewed from Mars.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

The full Moon actually rises around sunset and sets around sunrise, opposite to the sun's schedule.

Question 9

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

Accepted Answer

Polaris is located near the celestial north pole, which means it appears to be stationary while all the other stars appear to rotate around it. Therefore, it moves less than any other visible star in the sky over the course of a night. Polaris is located very close to the North Celestial Pole, which means it appears relatively stationary in the sky while all the other stars appear to rotate around it.

Question 10

From the South Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead.

Accepted Answer

Polaris is located very close to the North Pole, so from the South Pole it would be below the horizon and not visible. From the South Pole, Polaris would not be visible at all as it would be below the horizon.

Question 11

From the North Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead.

Accepted Answer

Polaris is also known as the North Star, and it is located almost directly above the Earth's North Pole. Therefore, from the North Pole, Polaris would appear directly overhead. Polaris, also known as the North Star, is located very close to the North Celestial Pole. Therefore, from the North Pole, it would appear directly overhead.

Question 12

A light-year is a measurement of time.

Accepted Answer

A light-year is a unit of distance, defined as the distance that light travels in one year in a vacuum, which is approximately 5.88 trillion miles or 9.46 trillion kilometers. A light-year is a measurement of distance, representing the distance that light travels in one year (about 5.88 trillion miles or 9.46 trillion kilometers).

Question 13

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

Accepted Answer

Because the Earth's axis is tilted, some stars will not be visible from certain latitudes at certain times of the year. However, at the equator, the zenith (the point directly overhead) will pass through all the stars over the course of a year, allowing for all stars to be visible. Due to the Earth's rotation and axial tilt, different stars are visible at different times of the year from different latitudes. However, at the equator, the celestial equator runs directly overhead, resulting in all stars being visible at one point or another throughout the year.

Question 14

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

Accepted Answer

This is known as the moon's apparent motion due to its synchronous rotation with the Earth. This is known as the Moon's apparent motion in the sky due to the Earth's rotation.

Question 15

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

Accepted Answer

This is true, as the lunar cycle is approximately 29.5 days long and the time between full Moon and third quarter Moon is approximately half of that, or about 7-8 days. This is true. It takes about one week (7-8 days) for the Moon to transition from full Moon to third quarter Moon.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

The Sun and Moon have nearly the same angular diameter as viewed from Earth, with the Moon appearing slightly larger due to its closer proximity. The Sun and Moon appear to be about the same size from Earth because the Sun is much larger than the Moon but also much farther away. Their angular diameters are both about 0.5 degrees.

Question 17

There are 3,600 arc seconds in a degree.

Accepted Answer

This statement is true. There are 60 arc minutes in a degree and 60 arc seconds in an arc minute, so there are a total of 3,600 arc seconds in a degree. This is true. There are 60 arc minutes in a degree and 60 arc seconds in an arc minute, so 60 x 60 = 3,600 arc seconds in a degree.

Question 18

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

Accepted Answer

The first quarter Moon rises around noon and sets around midnight. This is true because the first quarter Moon is approximately 90 degrees away from the Sun, meaning it rises at around noon and sets at around midnight.

Question 19

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

Accepted Answer

Constellations are simply patterns of stars that appear to form recognizable shapes or figures. The stars that make up a constellation can actually be at varying distances from the Sun, and may not be physically close to each other. This statement is not completely accurate. While constellations may appear to be close clusters of stars in the sky, the stars within a constellation can be at vastly different distances from the Sun.

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

Aristotle used observations and evidence to determine that the Earth was round, which is a key part of the scientific method. Aristotle used observations and logical reasoning to conclude that the Earth was a sphere, which is considered an early use of the scientific method.

Quiz 1: Charting the Heavens: The Foundations of Astronomy