Question 1

The approximate date around March 21 represents the beginning of which season for people living in New Zealand?

Accepted Answer

A)  summer 
B)  spring 
C)  autumn 
D)  winter 
A)  summer 
B)  spring 
C)  autumn 
D)  winter

Question 2

Which of these phrases is the only one that truly and meaningfully describes the side of the Moon away from the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  anti-Sun side of the Moon 
B)  region of the Moon's equator not illuminated by the Sun 
C)  dark side of the Moon 
D)  far side of the Moon 
A)  anti-Sun side of the Moon 
B)  region of the Moon's equator not illuminated by the Sun 
C)  dark side of the Moon 
D)  far side of the Moon

Question 3

Which of these statements describes a necessary condition for lunar or solar eclipses?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 4

From the east coast of the United States, an observer sees a star rising above the horizon. At the same instant their friend on the west coast finds that this star

Accepted Answer

A)  is just rising. 
B)  is just setting. 
C)  rose a few hours earlier. 
D)  has not yet risen. 
A)  is just rising. 
B)  is just setting. 
C)  rose a few hours earlier. 
D)  has not yet risen.

Question 5

In winter, clocks in New York (maintaining civil time, or mean solar time) compared to those in California will be

Accepted Answer

A)  2 hours ahead. 
B)  3 hours behind. 
C)  the same. 
D)  3 hours ahead. 
A)  2 hours ahead. 
B)  3 hours behind. 
C)  the same. 
D)  3 hours ahead.

Question 6

If the Sun passes directly overhead at a location on at least 1 day per year, then that location

Accepted Answer

A)  must be within 66° of the equator. 
B)  must be somewhere within 23.5° of the equator. 
C)  could be anywhere because this event occurs at least once per year at any location on Earth. 
D)  must be exactly on the equator. 
A)  must be within 66° of the equator. 
B)  must be somewhere within 23.5° of the equator. 
C)  could be anywhere because this event occurs at least once per year at any location on Earth. 
D)  must be exactly on the equator.

Question 7

In modern astronomy, the constellations are

Accepted Answer

A)  specific patterns of stars that point to certain directions that are useful for navigation. 
B)  13 specific regions of stars through which the planets and Moon appear to move in the sky. 
C)  a small number of well-defined and separate groups of stars in the sky. 
D)  88 nonoverlapping sky regions, covering the whole sky. 
A)  specific patterns of stars that point to certain directions that are useful for navigation. 
B)  13 specific regions of stars through which the planets and Moon appear to move in the sky. 
C)  a small number of well-defined and separate groups of stars in the sky. 
D)  88 nonoverlapping sky regions, covering the whole sky.

Question 8

Right ascension of a star is a measure of

Accepted Answer

A)  the time of its rising in the eastern sky. 
B)  its position above the observer's horizon, measured from the horizon. 
C)  its position north or south of the celestial equator, along a great circle passing through the north and south celestial poles. 
D)  the great circle joining north and south celestial poles upon which it is located, the position of which is measured along the celestial equator. 
A)  the time of its rising in the eastern sky. 
B)  its position above the observer's horizon, measured from the horizon. 
C)  its position north or south of the celestial equator, along a great circle passing through the north and south celestial poles. 
D)  the great circle joining north and south celestial poles upon which it is located, the position of which is measured along the celestial equator.

Question 9

What was the approximate declination of the Sun on September 22 this year?

Accepted Answer

A)  + 23.5° 
B)  + 90° 
C)  180° 
D)  0° 
A)  + 23.5° 
B)  + 90° 
C)  180° 
D)  0°

Question 10

When in total lunar eclipse, the Moon shows a reddish color because

Accepted Answer

A)  the Moon is illuminated only by the residual glow from the dark side of Earth, which is predominantly red. 
B)  only the red part of the solar spectrum is deflected onto it by Earth's atmosphere. 
C)  the red light is the residual thermal glow from a still-warm Moon, after the abrupt removal of the heat of the Sun. 
D)  light from the northern and southern lights (the aurora) on Earth, which are predominantly red, illuminates the Moon. 
A)  the Moon is illuminated only by the residual glow from the dark side of Earth, which is predominantly red. 
B)  only the red part of the solar spectrum is deflected onto it by Earth's atmosphere. 
C)  the red light is the residual thermal glow from a still-warm Moon, after the abrupt removal of the heat of the Sun. 
D)  light from the northern and southern lights (the aurora) on Earth, which are predominantly red, illuminates the Moon.

Question 11

What is the major factor that governs whether a solar eclipse is total rather than annular when viewed from the center of the eclipse path on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  altitude of the observing site, because observers on a mountaintop are closer to the Moon and this affects the eclipse geometry 
B)  Earth-Moon distance 
C)  Earth-Sun distance 
D)  phase of the Moon; total eclipses occur at new Moon, whereas annular eclipses occur at quarter Moon. 
A)  altitude of the observing site, because observers on a mountaintop are closer to the Moon and this affects the eclipse geometry 
B)  Earth-Moon distance 
C)  Earth-Sun distance 
D)  phase of the Moon; total eclipses occur at new Moon, whereas annular eclipses occur at quarter Moon.

Question 12

If Earth's revolution around the Sun were reversed in direction, observers would find

Accepted Answer

A)  constellations of the northern and southern hemispheres would be reversed. 
B)  the stars would set about 4 minutes earlier each day than they did the day before. 
C)  the summer and winter constellations would be reversed. 
D)  stars would rise in the west and set in the east. 
A)  constellations of the northern and southern hemispheres would be reversed. 
B)  the stars would set about 4 minutes earlier each day than they did the day before. 
C)  the summer and winter constellations would be reversed. 
D)  stars would rise in the west and set in the east.

Question 13

If an observer at a location north of the equator tracks the Sun's position on the horizon as it rises each morning throughout the year, the observer will find that the

Accepted Answer

A)  Sun always rises in the same place. 
B)  Sun rises due east only at summer solstice. 
C)  rising position moves progressively northward from December through June. 
D)  rising position moves progressively southward from December through June. 
A)  Sun always rises in the same place. 
B)  Sun rises due east only at summer solstice. 
C)  rising position moves progressively northward from December through June. 
D)  rising position moves progressively southward from December through June.

Question 14

The angle between zenith and horizon is

Accepted Answer

A)  57.3°. 
B)  90°. 
C)  45°. 
D)  180°. 
A)  57.3°. 
B)  90°. 
C)  45°. 
D)  180°.

The approximate date around March 21 represents the beginning of which season for people living in New Zealand?

Which of these phrases is the only one that truly and meaningfully describes the side of the Moon away from the Earth?

Which of these statements describes a necessary condition for lunar or solar eclipses?

From the east coast of the United States, an observer sees a star rising above the horizon. At the same instant their friend on the west coast finds that this star

In winter, clocks in New York (maintaining civil time, or mean solar time) compared to those in California will be

If the Sun passes directly overhead at a location on at least 1 day per year, then that location

In modern astronomy, the constellations are

Right ascension of a star is a measure of

What was the approximate declination of the Sun on September 22 this year?

When in total lunar eclipse, the Moon shows a reddish color because

What is the major factor that governs whether a solar eclipse is total rather than annular when viewed from the center of the eclipse path on Earth?

If Earth's revolution around the Sun were reversed in direction, observers would find

If an observer at a location north of the equator tracks the Sun's position on the horizon as it rises each morning throughout the year, the observer will find that the

The angle between zenith and horizon is

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 approximate date around March 21 represents the beginning of which season for people living in New Zealand?

Which of these phrases is the only one that truly and meaningfully describes the side of the Moon away from the Earth?

Which of these statements describes a necessary condition for lunar or solar eclipses?

From the east coast of the United States, an observer sees a star rising above the horizon. At the same instant their friend on the west coast finds that this star

In winter, clocks in New York (maintaining civil time, or mean solar time) compared to those in California will be

If the Sun passes directly overhead at a location on at least 1 day per year, then that location

In modern astronomy, the constellations are

Right ascension of a star is a measure of

What was the approximate declination of the Sun on September 22 this year?

When in total lunar eclipse, the Moon shows a reddish color because

What is the major factor that governs whether a solar eclipse is total rather than annular when viewed from the center of the eclipse path on Earth?

If Earth's revolution around the Sun were reversed in direction, observers would find

If an observer at a location north of the equator tracks the Sun's position on the horizon as it rises each morning throughout the year, the observer will find that the

The angle between zenith and horizon is

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