Question 1

The full Moon always occurs

Accepted Answer

A)  on the first of the month. 
B)  when the Moon is at right angles to the direction of the Sun. 
C)  when the Moon is closer to the Sun than Earth is. 
D)  when the Moon is farther from the Sun than Earth is. 
A)  on the first of the month. 
B)  when the Moon is at right angles to the direction of the Sun. 
C)  when the Moon is closer to the Sun than Earth is. 
D)  when the Moon is farther from the Sun than Earth is.

Question 2

From a location in the northern hemisphere, the pole star always appears at an angle above the northern horizon equal to

Accepted Answer

A)  180° plus the longitude of the location. 
B)  the latitude of the location. 
C)  the longitude of the location. 
D)  90° minus the latitude of the location. 
A)  180° plus the longitude of the location. 
B)  the latitude of the location. 
C)  the longitude of the location. 
D)  90° minus the latitude of the location.

Question 3

Two celestial coordinates that together describe a star's position precisely in the sky are

Accepted Answer

A)  longitude and latitude. 
B)  sidereal time and latitude. 
C)  right ascension and declination. 
D)  right ascension and sidereal time. 
A)  longitude and latitude. 
B)  sidereal time and latitude. 
C)  right ascension and declination. 
D)  right ascension and sidereal time.

Question 4

If one follows a line through the "pointer stars" (the two stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper farthest from the handle) away from the open end of the dipper, the first moderately bright star the observer comes to is

Accepted Answer

A)  Polaris, the North Star. 
B)  Spica, in Virgo. 
C)  Arcturus, in Bootes. 
D)  Vega, in Lyra. 
A)  Polaris, the North Star. 
B)  Spica, in Virgo. 
C)  Arcturus, in Bootes. 
D)  Vega, in Lyra.

Question 5

In view of the elliptical orbits of Earth and the Moon, which of these conditions will result in the longest period of totality during a total solar eclipse?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth is closest to the Sun when the Moon is farthest from Earth. 
B)  Earth is closest to the Sun when the Moon is closest to Earth. 
C)  Earth is farthest from the Sun when the Moon is farthest from Earth. 
D)  Earth is farthest from the Sun when the Moon is closest to Earth. 
A)  Earth is closest to the Sun when the Moon is farthest from Earth. 
B)  Earth is closest to the Sun when the Moon is closest to Earth. 
C)  Earth is farthest from the Sun when the Moon is farthest from Earth. 
D)  Earth is farthest from the Sun when the Moon is closest to Earth.

Question 6

Which of these years was NOT a leap year?

Accepted Answer

A)  2000 A.D. 
B)  1600 A.D. 
C)  1988 A.D. 
D)  1800 A.D. 
A)  2000 A.D. 
B)  1600 A.D. 
C)  1988 A.D. 
D)  1800 A.D.

Question 7

The Moon's angular diameter in the sky is measured to be 0.5°. From this measurement, one can find the

Accepted Answer

A)  bulk density of the Moon (the average number of kilograms per cubic meter of Moon material) if one knows its distance from Earth. 
B)  diameter of the Moon in kilometers if one knows the Moon's distance. 
C)  diameter of the Moon in kilometers even if one has no other information about the Moon. 
D)  distance to the Moon even if one has no other information about the Moon. 
A)  bulk density of the Moon (the average number of kilograms per cubic meter of Moon material) if one knows its distance from Earth. 
B)  diameter of the Moon in kilometers if one knows the Moon's distance. 
C)  diameter of the Moon in kilometers even if one has no other information about the Moon. 
D)  distance to the Moon even if one has no other information about the Moon.

Question 8

When the Sun is at one of the equinoxes,

Accepted Answer

A)  the day is longer than the night in one hemisphere of Earth and shorter in the other hemisphere. 
B)  day and night are of equal length only for people on the equator. 
C)  people on the equator have perpetual daylight. 
D)  day and night are of equal length everywhere on Earth. 
A)  the day is longer than the night in one hemisphere of Earth and shorter in the other hemisphere. 
B)  day and night are of equal length only for people on the equator. 
C)  people on the equator have perpetual daylight. 
D)  day and night are of equal length everywhere on Earth.

Question 9

The number of degrees in a semicircle is

Accepted Answer

A)  57.3. 
B)  180. 
C)  90. 
D)  360. 
A)  57.3. 
B)  180. 
C)  90. 
D)  360.

Question 10

For a particular observer in the northern hemisphere, a given star in the sky will reach its highest point when it passes through the

Accepted Answer

A)  celestial equator. 
B)  zodiac. 
C)  ecliptic plane. 
D)  great circle passing through the north celestial pole and the zenith 
A)  celestial equator. 
B)  zodiac. 
C)  ecliptic plane. 
D)  great circle passing through the north celestial pole and the zenith

Question 11

What fraction of a full circle is the angle of 60° between the line from the Sun to Jupiter and the line from the Sun to a Trojan group of asteroids?

Accepted Answer

A)  1/6 
B)  1/2 
C)  1/3 
D)  1/5 
A)  1/6 
B)  1/2 
C)  1/3 
D)  1/5

Question 12

The plane of the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator

Accepted Answer

A)  everywhere because these are two different names for the same plane. 
B)  at two points, the summer and winter solstices. 
C)  at two points, the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. 
D)  along the prime meridian. 
A)  everywhere because these are two different names for the same plane. 
B)  at two points, the summer and winter solstices. 
C)  at two points, the vernal and autumnal equinoxes. 
D)  along the prime meridian.

Question 13

If a modern astronomer describes a faint star as being in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan, the star is

Accepted Answer

A)  somewhere within a particular region of sky having definite boundaries. 
B)  inside the solar system. 
C)  in a distant galaxy located in a particular direction from Earth. 
D)  one of a set of stars that make up a particular "picture," in this case a swan, in the sky. 
A)  somewhere within a particular region of sky having definite boundaries. 
B)  inside the solar system. 
C)  in a distant galaxy located in a particular direction from Earth. 
D)  one of a set of stars that make up a particular "picture," in this case a swan, in the sky.

Question 14

The time that elapses while the Sun moves from one vernal equinox to the next is known as 1

Accepted Answer

A)  Gregorian year. 
B)  solar day. 
C)  sidereal year. 
D)  tropical year. 
A)  Gregorian year. 
B)  solar day. 
C)  sidereal year. 
D)  tropical year.

Question 15

It is unsafe to view which type of eclipse without special eye protection?

Accepted Answer

A)  penumbral lunar eclipse 
B)  partial lunar eclipse 
C)  total lunar eclipse 
D)  solar eclipse 
A)  penumbral lunar eclipse 
B)  partial lunar eclipse 
C)  total lunar eclipse 
D)  solar eclipse

Question 16

The zero point of the celestial coordinate known as right ascension (R.A.) is defined to be the

Accepted Answer

A)  intersection of the Milky Way with the celestial equator. 
B)  point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving northward in its path across the sky. 
C)  point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving southward in its path across the sky. 
D)  intersection of the celestial equator with the projection of Earth's equator on the sky. 
A)  intersection of the Milky Way with the celestial equator. 
B)  point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving northward in its path across the sky. 
C)  point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving southward in its path across the sky. 
D)  intersection of the celestial equator with the projection of Earth's equator on the sky.

Question 17

Which of these statements about eclipses in the Sun-Earth-Moon system is NOT correct?

Accepted Answer

A)  A total eclipse of the Sun occurs only at full Moon. 
B)  A total eclipse of the Moon occurs only at full Moon. 
C)  Eclipses of the Moon and the Sun do not occur at quarter-Moon phases. 
D)  A total eclipse of the Sun occurs only at new Moon. 
A)  A total eclipse of the Sun occurs only at full Moon. 
B)  A total eclipse of the Moon occurs only at full Moon. 
C)  Eclipses of the Moon and the Sun do not occur at quarter-Moon phases. 
D)  A total eclipse of the Sun occurs only at new Moon.

Question 18

As Earth rotates, the point above the head of a person standing on the equator (the person's zenith) sweeps out

Accepted Answer

A)  the celestial equator. 
B)  a variable path across the sky within the region of the zodiac, crossing the celestial equator at some point. 
C)  the ecliptic plane. 
D)  a great circle path between the North Pole and South Pole. 
A)  the celestial equator. 
B)  a variable path across the sky within the region of the zodiac, crossing the celestial equator at some point. 
C)  the ecliptic plane. 
D)  a great circle path between the North Pole and South Pole.

Question 19

The tilt angle of Earth's spin axis to the direction perpendicular to the ecliptic (known as the ecliptic pole)

Accepted Answer

A)  is 90° and fixed. 
B)  varies rapidly through the year from +23.5° to -23.5°. 
C)  is 23.5° and fixed. 
D)  is 0° and fixed because this defines the ecliptic plane. 
A)  is 90° and fixed. 
B)  varies rapidly through the year from +23.5° to -23.5°. 
C)  is 23.5° and fixed. 
D)  is 0° and fixed because this defines the ecliptic plane.

Question 20

At what average speed does the Sun appear to move across the sky with respect to the stars in order to move through one full circle in 1 year?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 13° per day 
B)  about 1° per day 
C)  The Sun never appears to move with respect to the stars in the sky. 
D)  about 24° per day, or very close to 1° per hour 
A)  about 13° per day 
B)  about 1° per day 
C)  The Sun never appears to move with respect to the stars in the sky. 
D)  about 24° per day, or very close to 1° per hour

The full Moon always occurs

From a location in the northern hemisphere, the pole star always appears at an angle above the northern horizon equal to

Two celestial coordinates that together describe a star's position precisely in the sky are

If one follows a line through the "pointer stars" (the two stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper farthest from the handle) away from the open end of the dipper, the first moderately bright star the observer comes to is

In view of the elliptical orbits of Earth and the Moon, which of these conditions will result in the longest period of totality during a total solar eclipse?

Which of these years was NOT a leap year?

The Moon's angular diameter in the sky is measured to be 0.5°. From this measurement, one can find the

When the Sun is at one of the equinoxes,

The number of degrees in a semicircle is

For a particular observer in the northern hemisphere, a given star in the sky will reach its highest point when it passes through the

What fraction of a full circle is the angle of 60° between the line from the Sun to Jupiter and the line from the Sun to a Trojan group of asteroids?

The plane of the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator

If a modern astronomer describes a faint star as being in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan, the star is

The time that elapses while the Sun moves from one vernal equinox to the next is known as 1

It is unsafe to view which type of eclipse without special eye protection?

The zero point of the celestial coordinate known as right ascension (R.A.) is defined to be the

Which of these statements about eclipses in the Sun-Earth-Moon system is NOT correct?

As Earth rotates, the point above the head of a person standing on the equator (the person's zenith) sweeps out

The tilt angle of Earth's spin axis to the direction perpendicular to the ecliptic (known as the ecliptic pole)

At what average speed does the Sun appear to move across the sky with respect to the stars in order to move through one full circle in 1 year?

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters

Exam 1: Discovering the Night Sky

The full Moon always occurs

From a location in the northern hemisphere, the pole star always appears at an angle above the northern horizon equal to

Two celestial coordinates that together describe a star's position precisely in the sky are

If one follows a line through the "pointer stars" (the two stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper farthest from the handle) away from the open end of the dipper, the first moderately bright star the observer comes to is

In view of the elliptical orbits of Earth and the Moon, which of these conditions will result in the longest period of totality during a total solar eclipse?

Which of these years was NOT a leap year?

The Moon's angular diameter in the sky is measured to be 0.5°. From this measurement, one can find the

When the Sun is at one of the equinoxes,

The number of degrees in a semicircle is

For a particular observer in the northern hemisphere, a given star in the sky will reach its highest point when it passes through the

What fraction of a full circle is the angle of 60° between the line from the Sun to Jupiter and the line from the Sun to a Trojan group of asteroids?

The plane of the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator

If a modern astronomer describes a faint star as being in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan, the star is

The time that elapses while the Sun moves from one vernal equinox to the next is known as 1

It is unsafe to view which type of eclipse without special eye protection?

The zero point of the celestial coordinate known as right ascension (R.A.) is defined to be the

Which of these statements about eclipses in the Sun-Earth-Moon system is NOT correct?

As Earth rotates, the point above the head of a person standing on the equator (the person's zenith) sweeps out

The tilt angle of Earth's spin axis to the direction perpendicular to the ecliptic (known as the ecliptic pole)

At what average speed does the Sun appear to move across the sky with respect to the stars in order to move through one full circle in 1 year?

Gravitation and the Motion of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Atomic Physics and Spectra

Exoplanets and the Formation of Planetary Systems

Formation of the Solar System

Earth and the Moon

The Other Terrestrial Planets

The Outer Planets

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes: Matters of Gravity

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Quasars and Other Active Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters