Question 1

The vernal equinox is one time of the year when the Sun

Accepted Answer

A)  is at its lowest point in the sky at midday. 
B)  crosses the ecliptic plane. 
C)  crosses the celestial equator. 
D)  crosses the Moon's orbital path in the sky. 
A)  is at its lowest point in the sky at midday. 
B)  crosses the ecliptic plane. 
C)  crosses the celestial equator. 
D)  crosses the Moon's orbital path in the sky.

Question 2

If an observer were standing on the South Pole at the time of the autumnal equinox, where would the Sun be at midday?

Accepted Answer

A)  at zenith 
B)  23.5° above the horizon 
C)  well below the horizon 
D)  on the horizon 
A)  at zenith 
B)  23.5° above the horizon 
C)  well below the horizon 
D)  on the horizon

Question 3

If an observer is at the North Pole, how would that person describe the angle with the horizon made by stars as they rise and set?

Accepted Answer

A)  It is perpendicular to the horizon. 
B)  It is variable but never more than 23.5. 
C)  It is variable but never more than 66.5. 
D)  The stars do not rise and set when viewed from the North Pole but instead move parallel to the horizon. 
A)  It is perpendicular to the horizon. 
B)  It is variable but never more than 23.5. 
C)  It is variable but never more than 66.5. 
D)  The stars do not rise and set when viewed from the North Pole but instead move parallel to the horizon.

Question 4

The idea of one "leap day" every four years was introduced into the calendar by

Accepted Answer

A)  the ancient Babylonians. 
B)  the Greeks. 
C)  Julius Caesar. 
D)  Pope Gregory XIII. 
A)  the ancient Babylonians. 
B)  the Greeks. 
C)  Julius Caesar. 
D)  Pope Gregory XIII.

Question 5

To someone on Earth who is watching a total lunar eclipse, the

Accepted Answer

A)  Sun is hidden behind the Moon. 
B)  Sun is hidden below the horizon. 
C)  Sun is relatively high in the sky because the Earth-Moon line is at right angles to the Earth-Sun line. 
D)  Moon is hidden behind the Sun. 
A)  Sun is hidden behind the Moon. 
B)  Sun is hidden below the horizon. 
C)  Sun is relatively high in the sky because the Earth-Moon line is at right angles to the Earth-Sun line. 
D)  Moon is hidden behind the Sun.

Question 6

Which of these planets will be seen as crescent-shaped from Earth at certain times in its orbit?

Accepted Answer

A)  Mars 
B)  Uranus 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Venus 
A)  Mars 
B)  Uranus 
C)  Jupiter 
D)  Venus

Question 7

The constellation Orion is

Accepted Answer

A)  a pattern of stars commonly seen to depict an ancient hunter. 
B)  an entire region of the sky, bounded by Gemini, Taurus, Eridanus, Lepus, and Monoceros. 
C)  one of 125 regions into which the entire sky is divided. 
D)  an asterism. 
A)  a pattern of stars commonly seen to depict an ancient hunter. 
B)  an entire region of the sky, bounded by Gemini, Taurus, Eridanus, Lepus, and Monoceros. 
C)  one of 125 regions into which the entire sky is divided. 
D)  an asterism.

Question 8

If Venus has an angular diameter of 30 arcseconds when viewed from Earth at a particular time, how does this angular diameter compare with the typical angular diameter of the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  60 times smaller 
B)  60 times larger 
C)  1/30 as large 
D)  3600 times smaller 
A)  60 times smaller 
B)  60 times larger 
C)  1/30 as large 
D)  3600 times smaller

Question 9

If the Moon's diameter is approximately 3500 km, what angle will this diameter subtend if the Moon is observed when it is at a distance of about 400,000 km from Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  0.009° 
B)  30 arcminutes 
C)  30° 
D)  30 arcseconds 
A)  0.009° 
B)  30 arcminutes 
C)  30° 
D)  30 arcseconds

Question 10

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when the

Accepted Answer

A)  Sun is closest to Earth. 
B)  Sun is closest to the ecliptic. 
C)  Moon is closest to Earth. 
D)  northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun. 
A)  Sun is closest to Earth. 
B)  Sun is closest to the ecliptic. 
C)  Moon is closest to Earth. 
D)  northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun.

Question 11

An arcsecond is a measure of

Accepted Answer

A)  the time between oscillations of a standard clock, the American Reference Clock (AR
C) . 
B)  length along the circumference of a circle. 
C)  angle. 
D)  the time Earth takes to move through 1° along its orbit. 
A)  the time between oscillations of a standard clock, the American Reference Clock (AR
C) . 
B)  length along the circumference of a circle. 
C)  angle. 
D)  the time Earth takes to move through 1° along its orbit.

Question 12

The total number of eclipses is limited to seven or fewer per year because one condition that must be met for a lunar or solar eclipse is that the

Accepted Answer

A)  Sun be on the celestial equator. 
B)  Moon be close to or crossing the ecliptic plane. 
C)  Earth be on the ecliptic plane. 
D)  Sun be on the ecliptic plane. 
A)  Sun be on the celestial equator. 
B)  Moon be close to or crossing the ecliptic plane. 
C)  Earth be on the ecliptic plane. 
D)  Sun be on the ecliptic plane.

Question 13

In this age of space exploration, man has now traveled to the Moon. By approximately how many orders of magnitude (powers of ten) was the distance of this journey greater than that of Columbus when he traveled from the Old World to the Americas?

Accepted Answer

A)  21 orders of magnitude, or 1021 
B)  6 orders of magnitude, or 106 
C)  10 orders of magnitude, or 1010 
D)  Less than one order of magnitude 
A)  21 orders of magnitude, or 1021 
B)  6 orders of magnitude, or 106 
C)  10 orders of magnitude, or 1010 
D)  Less than one order of magnitude

Question 14

The Sun's apparent path across the sky against the background stars (which would be seen if the sunlit sky were not light) is known as the

Accepted Answer

A)  celestial meridian. 
B)  celestial equator. 
C)  great circle. 
D)  ecliptic. 
A)  celestial meridian. 
B)  celestial equator. 
C)  great circle. 
D)  ecliptic.

Question 15

In the middle of their summer season an observer sees the Sun rising well north of due east. The person must be located

Accepted Answer

A)  in the northern hemisphere. 
B)  in the southern hemisphere. 
C)  at the equator. 
D)  in either the northern or southern hemisphere. 
A)  in the northern hemisphere. 
B)  in the southern hemisphere. 
C)  at the equator. 
D)  in either the northern or southern hemisphere.

Question 16

There are 1000 mm in 1 meter. This means that a distance of 10 mm is

Accepted Answer

A)  1 × 10-4 m. 
B)  1 × 10-2 m. 
C)  1 × 10-1 m. 
D)  1 × 10-3 m. 
A)  1 × 10-4 m. 
B)  1 × 10-2 m. 
C)  1 × 10-1 m. 
D)  1 × 10-3 m.

Question 17

What is the maximum time of totality for any total solar eclipse observed from Earth's surface?

Accepted Answer

A)  about 7.5 minutes 
B)  a full 12-hour period 
C)  about 2 hours 
D)  only a few seconds 
A)  about 7.5 minutes 
B)  a full 12-hour period 
C)  about 2 hours 
D)  only a few seconds

Question 18

On a given evening, an observer notices that the sunlit portion of the Moon has a crescent shape. This simple observation implies

Accepted Answer

A)  that the Moon is farther from the Sun than Earth is at that time. 
B)  nothing at all about the position of the Moon in space compared to that of Earth and the Sun. 
C)  that the line from Earth to the Moon is exactly at right angles to the Sun-Earth line. 
D)  that the Moon is closer to the Sun than Earth is on that evening. 
A)  that the Moon is farther from the Sun than Earth is at that time. 
B)  nothing at all about the position of the Moon in space compared to that of Earth and the Sun. 
C)  that the line from Earth to the Moon is exactly at right angles to the Sun-Earth line. 
D)  that the Moon is closer to the Sun than Earth is on that evening.

Question 19

What is the Moon's approximate diameter if it subtends about 30 arcminutes in the sky and is at about 400,000 km from Earth at the time of observation?

Accepted Answer

A)  350 km 
B)  35,000 km 
C)  3500 km 
D)  60 km 
A)  350 km 
B)  35,000 km 
C)  3500 km 
D)  60 km

Question 20

The ecliptic can be defined as the

Accepted Answer

A)  extension of Earth's equator onto the sky. 
B)  plane that is perpendicular to Earth's spin axis. 
C)  path traced out by the Moon in the sky in 1 month against the background stars. 
D)  path traced out by the Sun in the sky over 1 year against the background stars. 
A)  extension of Earth's equator onto the sky. 
B)  plane that is perpendicular to Earth's spin axis. 
C)  path traced out by the Moon in the sky in 1 month against the background stars. 
D)  path traced out by the Sun in the sky over 1 year against the background stars.

The vernal equinox is one time of the year when the Sun

If an observer were standing on the South Pole at the time of the autumnal equinox, where would the Sun be at midday?

If an observer is at the North Pole, how would that person describe the angle with the horizon made by stars as they rise and set?

The idea of one "leap day" every four years was introduced into the calendar by

To someone on Earth who is watching a total lunar eclipse, the

Which of these planets will be seen as crescent-shaped from Earth at certain times in its orbit?

The constellation Orion is

If Venus has an angular diameter of 30 arcseconds when viewed from Earth at a particular time, how does this angular diameter compare with the typical angular diameter of the Moon?

If the Moon's diameter is approximately 3500 km, what angle will this diameter subtend if the Moon is observed when it is at a distance of about 400,000 km from Earth?

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when the

An arcsecond is a measure of

The total number of eclipses is limited to seven or fewer per year because one condition that must be met for a lunar or solar eclipse is that the

In this age of space exploration, man has now traveled to the Moon. By approximately how many orders of magnitude (powers of ten) was the distance of this journey greater than that of Columbus when he traveled from the Old World to the Americas?

The Sun's apparent path across the sky against the background stars (which would be seen if the sunlit sky were not light) is known as the

In the middle of their summer season an observer sees the Sun rising well north of due east. The person must be located

There are 1000 mm in 1 meter. This means that a distance of 10 mm is

What is the maximum time of totality for any total solar eclipse observed from Earth's surface?

On a given evening, an observer notices that the sunlit portion of the Moon has a crescent shape. This simple observation implies

What is the Moon's approximate diameter if it subtends about 30 arcminutes in the sky and is at about 400,000 km from Earth at the time of observation?

The ecliptic can be defined as the

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

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Exam 1: Discovering the Night Sky

The vernal equinox is one time of the year when the Sun

If an observer were standing on the South Pole at the time of the autumnal equinox, where would the Sun be at midday?

If an observer is at the North Pole, how would that person describe the angle with the horizon made by stars as they rise and set?

The idea of one "leap day" every four years was introduced into the calendar by

To someone on Earth who is watching a total lunar eclipse, the

Which of these planets will be seen as crescent-shaped from Earth at certain times in its orbit?

The constellation Orion is

If Venus has an angular diameter of 30 arcseconds when viewed from Earth at a particular time, how does this angular diameter compare with the typical angular diameter of the Moon?

If the Moon's diameter is approximately 3500 km, what angle will this diameter subtend if the Moon is observed when it is at a distance of about 400,000 km from Earth?

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when the

An arcsecond is a measure of

The total number of eclipses is limited to seven or fewer per year because one condition that must be met for a lunar or solar eclipse is that the

In this age of space exploration, man has now traveled to the Moon. By approximately how many orders of magnitude (powers of ten) was the distance of this journey greater than that of Columbus when he traveled from the Old World to the Americas?

The Sun's apparent path across the sky against the background stars (which would be seen if the sunlit sky were not light) is known as the

In the middle of their summer season an observer sees the Sun rising well north of due east. The person must be located

There are 1000 mm in 1 meter. This means that a distance of 10 mm is

What is the maximum time of totality for any total solar eclipse observed from Earth's surface?

On a given evening, an observer notices that the sunlit portion of the Moon has a crescent shape. This simple observation implies

What is the Moon's approximate diameter if it subtends about 30 arcminutes in the sky and is at about 400,000 km from Earth at the time of observation?

The ecliptic can be defined as the

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