Question 1

The Arctic Circle, above which the Sun can be seen for a full 24 hours on at least one day of the year, is a line around Earth at what latitude?

Accepted Answer

A)  90° N 
B)  variable, averaging 66.5° 
C)  23.5° N 
D)  66.5° N 
A)  90° N 
B)  variable, averaging 66.5° 
C)  23.5° N 
D)  66.5° N

Question 2

If one follows Orion's belt as it slopes down to the left, the first bright star one comes to is

Accepted Answer

A)  Spica, in Virgo. 
B)  Polaris, the North Star. 
C)  Sirius, in Canis Major. 
D)  Vega, in Lyra. 
A)  Spica, in Virgo. 
B)  Polaris, the North Star. 
C)  Sirius, in Canis Major. 
D)  Vega, in Lyra.

Question 3

The line of nodes of the Moon's orbit is the

Accepted Answer

A)  line of intersection between the Moon's orbit and Earth's orbit (the ecliptic plane). 
B)  major axis (longest diameter) of the Moon's elliptical orbit. 
C)  line between Earth and Moon when the Moon is farthest from the ecliptic plane. 
D)  line joining the points of the Moon's nearest (perigee) and farthest (apogee) distances from Earth. 
A)  line of intersection between the Moon's orbit and Earth's orbit (the ecliptic plane). 
B)  major axis (longest diameter) of the Moon's elliptical orbit. 
C)  line between Earth and Moon when the Moon is farthest from the ecliptic plane. 
D)  line joining the points of the Moon's nearest (perigee) and farthest (apogee) distances from Earth.

Question 4

Eclipses of the Moon can occur ONLY

Accepted Answer

A)  in the spring and fall, when the Sun is on the ecliptic plane. 
B)  at new Moon. 
C)  in June and December, when the Sun is near the solstices. 
D)  at full Moon. 
A)  in the spring and fall, when the Sun is on the ecliptic plane. 
B)  at new Moon. 
C)  in June and December, when the Sun is near the solstices. 
D)  at full Moon.

Question 5

If the Moon is located at the vernal equinox on the first day of spring, what is the phase of the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  first quarter 
B)  third quarter 
C)  full 
D)  new 
A)  first quarter 
B)  third quarter 
C)  full 
D)  new

Question 6

What is the equivalent angle along the celestial equator of 1 hour in the right ascension coordinate direction?

Accepted Answer

A)  30° 
B)  variable, depending on the declination of the star but not greater than 15° 
C)  1° 
D)  15° 
A)  30° 
B)  variable, depending on the declination of the star but not greater than 15° 
C)  1° 
D)  15°

Question 7

The bright stars Vega, Deneb, and Altair form

Accepted Answer

A)  the summer triangle. 
B)  the winter triangle. 
C)  the Big Dipper. 
D)  Orion the Hunter. 
A)  the summer triangle. 
B)  the winter triangle. 
C)  the Big Dipper. 
D)  Orion the Hunter.

Question 8

The fact that the Earth-Moon system orbits the Sun (covering 30° per month) while the Moon orbits Earth means that, compared to one lunar orbital (sidereal) period, the time between successive full Moons (the synodic month) is

Accepted Answer

A)  about 2 days longer. 
B)  about 2 days shorter. 
C)  about twice as long. 
D)  zero because these periods are always the same, by definition. 
A)  about 2 days longer. 
B)  about 2 days shorter. 
C)  about twice as long. 
D)  zero because these periods are always the same, by definition.

Question 9

10-3 × 103 =

Accepted Answer

A)  1/100 
B)  0 
C)  10,000 
D)  1 
A)  1/100 
B)  0 
C)  10,000 
D)  1

Question 10

A time zone on Earth, defined for convenience as the region over which civil time is the same at all locations, extends over what range of longitude, on average?

Accepted Answer

A)  90° 
B)  15° 
C)  1° 
D)  30° 
A)  90° 
B)  15° 
C)  1° 
D)  30°

Question 11

If the horizon is considered to be split into northern and southern parts by the east-west line, can the Sun ever rise in the southern part of the sky when viewed from a mid-latitude site in the northern hemisphere?

Accepted Answer

A)  yes, for exactly half a year 
B)  no, since the site is in the northern hemisphere 
C)  yes, but only for a few days around midsummer 
D)  yes, for most of the year, because the observing site is in the northern hemisphere 
A)  yes, for exactly half a year 
B)  no, since the site is in the northern hemisphere 
C)  yes, but only for a few days around midsummer 
D)  yes, for most of the year, because the observing site is in the northern hemisphere

Question 12

A lunar eclipse is caused by the

Accepted Answer

A)  Sun passing behind the Moon. 
B)  Moon passing into the shadow of Earth. 
C)  Moon passing behind the Sun. 
D)  Earth moving into the Moon's shadow. 
A)  Sun passing behind the Moon. 
B)  Moon passing into the shadow of Earth. 
C)  Moon passing behind the Sun. 
D)  Earth moving into the Moon's shadow.

Question 13

Above 66.5° N, the Sun

Accepted Answer

A)  always shines, winter or summer. 
B)  can be seen for 24 hours on at least one day of the year. 
C)  is always 23.5° or more above or below the horizon. 
D)  never shines at any time of the year. 
A)  always shines, winter or summer. 
B)  can be seen for 24 hours on at least one day of the year. 
C)  is always 23.5° or more above or below the horizon. 
D)  never shines at any time of the year.

Question 14

What will the right ascension of the Sun be on June 21 of this year?

Accepted Answer

A)  6 hours 0 minutes 
B)  0 hours 0 minutes 
C)  12 hours 0 minutes 
D)  18 hours 0 minutes 
A)  6 hours 0 minutes 
B)  0 hours 0 minutes 
C)  12 hours 0 minutes 
D)  18 hours 0 minutes

Question 15

Which one of these statements is correct about the behavior of an observer's zenith (the vertical direction directly overhead) over a period of 1 year if the observer were standing on Earth's equator?

Accepted Answer

A)  The angle between the zenith and Earth's spin axis will vary between +23.5° and -23.5° over this period. 
B)  The zenith will always be perpendicular to Earth's spin axis. 
C)  The zenith will always remain at a fixed angle of 23.5° to the spin axis of Earth. 
D)  The zenith will always be parallel to Earth's spin axis. 
A)  The angle between the zenith and Earth's spin axis will vary between +23.5° and -23.5° over this period. 
B)  The zenith will always be perpendicular to Earth's spin axis. 
C)  The zenith will always remain at a fixed angle of 23.5° to the spin axis of Earth. 
D)  The zenith will always be parallel to Earth's spin axis.

Question 16

What is the phase of the Moon when it rises at midnight? (Hint: Sketch a diagram to work this out). Earth rotates toward the east, and the Moon's motion around Earth is also eastward.

Accepted Answer

A)  new 
B)  first quarter 
C)  Full 
D)  third quarter 
A)  new 
B)  first quarter 
C)  Full 
D)  third quarter

Question 17

(3 × 104)4 =

Accepted Answer

A)  8.1 × 1017 
B)  1.2 × 1017 
C)  9 × 1016 
D)  8.1 × 1016 
A)  8.1 × 1017 
B)  1.2 × 1017 
C)  9 × 1016 
D)  8.1 × 1016

Question 18

The phase of the Moon when the Sun and Moon have the same right ascension is

Accepted Answer

A)  new Moon. 
B)  first quarter. 
C)  gibbous. 
D)  full Moon. 
A)  new Moon. 
B)  first quarter. 
C)  gibbous. 
D)  full Moon.

Question 19

Why is the period between two successive full Moons NOT equal to the Moon's orbital period, or sidereal month?

Accepted Answer

A)  The Earth-Moon system is also orbiting the Sun. 
B)  These two time intervals are not related because full-Moon time depends on the Moon's rotation period about its own axis. 
C)  The Moon's orbit is inclined at about 5° to Earth's orbital plane. 
D)  The Moon's orbit is elliptical, and the Moon therefore moves irregularly around Earth. 
A)  The Earth-Moon system is also orbiting the Sun. 
B)  These two time intervals are not related because full-Moon time depends on the Moon's rotation period about its own axis. 
C)  The Moon's orbit is inclined at about 5° to Earth's orbital plane. 
D)  The Moon's orbit is elliptical, and the Moon therefore moves irregularly around Earth.

Question 20

The axis around which Earth

Accepted Answer

A)  rotates always points toward Polaris, the North Star. 
B)  precesses (wobbles) takes about a century to go around once. 
C)  precesses takes many thousands of years to go around once. 
D)  rotates always tilts slightly toward the direction of the Sun. 
A)  rotates always points toward Polaris, the North Star. 
B)  precesses (wobbles) takes about a century to go around once. 
C)  precesses takes many thousands of years to go around once. 
D)  rotates always tilts slightly toward the direction of the Sun.

The Arctic Circle, above which the Sun can be seen for a full 24 hours on at least one day of the year, is a line around Earth at what latitude?

If one follows Orion's belt as it slopes down to the left, the first bright star one comes to is

The line of nodes of the Moon's orbit is the

Eclipses of the Moon can occur ONLY

If the Moon is located at the vernal equinox on the first day of spring, what is the phase of the Moon?

What is the equivalent angle along the celestial equator of 1 hour in the right ascension coordinate direction?

The bright stars Vega, Deneb, and Altair form

The fact that the Earth-Moon system orbits the Sun (covering 30° per month) while the Moon orbits Earth means that, compared to one lunar orbital (sidereal) period, the time between successive full Moons (the synodic month) is

10^-3 × 10³ =

A time zone on Earth, defined for convenience as the region over which civil time is the same at all locations, extends over what range of longitude, on average?

If the horizon is considered to be split into northern and southern parts by the east-west line, can the Sun ever rise in the southern part of the sky when viewed from a mid-latitude site in the northern hemisphere?

A lunar eclipse is caused by the

Above 66.5° N, the Sun

What will the right ascension of the Sun be on June 21 of this year?

Which one of these statements is correct about the behavior of an observer's zenith (the vertical direction directly overhead) over a period of 1 year if the observer were standing on Earth's equator?

What is the phase of the Moon when it rises at midnight? (Hint: Sketch a diagram to work this out). Earth rotates toward the east, and the Moon's motion around Earth is also eastward.

(3 × 10⁴)⁴ =

The phase of the Moon when the Sun and Moon have the same right ascension is

Why is the period between two successive full Moons NOT equal to the Moon's orbital period, or sidereal month?

The axis around which Earth

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 Arctic Circle, above which the Sun can be seen for a full 24 hours on at least one day of the year, is a line around Earth at what latitude?

If one follows Orion's belt as it slopes down to the left, the first bright star one comes to is

The line of nodes of the Moon's orbit is the

Eclipses of the Moon can occur ONLY

If the Moon is located at the vernal equinox on the first day of spring, what is the phase of the Moon?

What is the equivalent angle along the celestial equator of 1 hour in the right ascension coordinate direction?

The bright stars Vega, Deneb, and Altair form

The fact that the Earth-Moon system orbits the Sun (covering 30° per month) while the Moon orbits Earth means that, compared to one lunar orbital (sidereal) period, the time between successive full Moons (the synodic month) is

10-3 × 103 =

A time zone on Earth, defined for convenience as the region over which civil time is the same at all locations, extends over what range of longitude, on average?

If the horizon is considered to be split into northern and southern parts by the east-west line, can the Sun ever rise in the southern part of the sky when viewed from a mid-latitude site in the northern hemisphere?

A lunar eclipse is caused by the

Above 66.5° N, the Sun

What will the right ascension of the Sun be on June 21 of this year?

Which one of these statements is correct about the behavior of an observer's zenith (the vertical direction directly overhead) over a period of 1 year if the observer were standing on Earth's equator?

What is the phase of the Moon when it rises at midnight? (Hint: Sketch a diagram to work this out). Earth rotates toward the east, and the Moon's motion around Earth is also eastward.

(3 × 104)4 =

The phase of the Moon when the Sun and Moon have the same right ascension is

Why is the period between two successive full Moons NOT equal to the Moon's orbital period, or sidereal month?

The axis around which Earth

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

10^-3 × 10³ =

(3 × 10⁴)⁴ =