Question 1

Suppose the Moon moved westward rather than eastward in its orbit. How would eclipses be affected?

Accepted Answer

A)  We would not be able to see eclipses of either type. 
B)  Solar eclipses would occur but lunar eclipses would not. 
C)  Lunar eclipses would occur but solar eclipses would not. 
D)  We would still see both types of eclipses, much as we do now. 
A)  We would not be able to see eclipses of either type. 
B)  Solar eclipses would occur but lunar eclipses would not. 
C)  Lunar eclipses would occur but solar eclipses would not. 
D)  We would still see both types of eclipses, much as we do now.

Question 2

How long will it take, in solar time, for the Big Dipper, to return to the same position in an observer's sky?

Accepted Answer

A)  24 hours 4 minutes 
B)  23 hours 56 minutes 
C)  365 days 
D)  24 hours exactly 
A)  24 hours 4 minutes 
B)  23 hours 56 minutes 
C)  365 days 
D)  24 hours exactly

Question 3

Precession is the

Accepted Answer

A)  slow coning motion of the spin axis of Earth, similar to that of a spinning top. 
B)  gradual reversal of Earth's magnetic field. 
C)  motion of Earth along its orbital path during a year. 
D)  daily spinning motion of Earth, producing the apparent motion of the Sun and the stars. 
A)  slow coning motion of the spin axis of Earth, similar to that of a spinning top. 
B)  gradual reversal of Earth's magnetic field. 
C)  motion of Earth along its orbital path during a year. 
D)  daily spinning motion of Earth, producing the apparent motion of the Sun and the stars.

Question 4

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when

Accepted Answer

A)  sunlight heats the atmosphere more when passing through a longer path when the Sun is at an oblique angle. 
B)  the clearest skies occur because of climate changes, leading to greater surface heating of Earth. 
C)  Earth is closest to the Sun in its elliptical orbit. 
D)  sunlight falls more directly on this hemisphere, heating it more than average. 
A)  sunlight heats the atmosphere more when passing through a longer path when the Sun is at an oblique angle. 
B)  the clearest skies occur because of climate changes, leading to greater surface heating of Earth. 
C)  Earth is closest to the Sun in its elliptical orbit. 
D)  sunlight falls more directly on this hemisphere, heating it more than average.

Question 5

An observer is studying the horizon from somewhere in the northern hemisphere, and he sees that the stars are setting, following a slanted path from the observer's upper right to the horizon on their left. Which horizon are they facing?

Accepted Answer

A)  east 
B)  west 
C)  east in the winter, west in the summer 
D)  west in the winter, east in the summer 
A)  east 
B)  west 
C)  east in the winter, west in the summer 
D)  west in the winter, east in the summer

Question 6

The most recent correction to the calendar to keep the yearly date in tune with the seasons (resulting in the present calendar) was instituted by

Accepted Answer

A)  Galileo. 
B)  Pope Gregory XIII. 
C)  Julius Caesar. 
D)  Sir Isaac Newton. 
A)  Galileo. 
B)  Pope Gregory XIII. 
C)  Julius Caesar. 
D)  Sir Isaac Newton.

Question 7

The Moon is seen to keep one face toward Earth at all times. If viewed from a point directly above the plane of the planetary system, how does it have to rotate to maintain this alignment?

Accepted Answer

A)  The moon must rotate once per day to maintain its direction toward Earth. 
B)  The moon must not rotate at all because we always see the same face from Earth. 
C)  The moon must rotate once per year as Earth and the Moon orbit the Sun together. 
D)  The moon must rotate once per month, or once per orbit around Earth. 
A)  The moon must rotate once per day to maintain its direction toward Earth. 
B)  The moon must not rotate at all because we always see the same face from Earth. 
C)  The moon must rotate once per year as Earth and the Moon orbit the Sun together. 
D)  The moon must rotate once per month, or once per orbit around Earth.

Question 8

How do the alt-azimuth coordinates of a star compare with the R.A., Dec. coordinates of that same star?

Accepted Answer

A)  Both sets of coordinates change over the course of a single night. 
B)  The R.A. and Dec. coordinates change over the course of a single night, but the alt-azimuth coordinates do not. 
C)  The alt-azimuth coordinates change over the course of a single night, but the R.A. and Dec. coordinates do not. 
D)  Neither set of coordinates changes over the course of a single night. 
A)  Both sets of coordinates change over the course of a single night. 
B)  The R.A. and Dec. coordinates change over the course of a single night, but the alt-azimuth coordinates do not. 
C)  The alt-azimuth coordinates change over the course of a single night, but the R.A. and Dec. coordinates do not. 
D)  Neither set of coordinates changes over the course of a single night.

Question 9

108/109 =

Accepted Answer

A)  101 
B)  1017 
C)  1072 
D)  10-1 
A)  101 
B)  1017 
C)  1072 
D)  10-1

Question 10

How much of the total surface of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun when it is at quarter phase?

Accepted Answer

A)  all 
B)  one-half 
C)  very little 
D)  one-quarter 
A)  all 
B)  one-half 
C)  very little 
D)  one-quarter

Question 11

If there are about 6000 stars in the entire sky that can be seen by the unaided human eye, about how many stars would be seen at a particular instant on a given dark night from a single location with an uninterrupted distant horizon?

Accepted Answer

A)  3000 
B)  6000 
C)  only a small fraction of the 6000, say 1000, because the rest are hidden by the Earth 
D)  It depends on the observer's latitude; observers at the poles will see 6000, while equatorial observers will see only one-half of this number, or 3000. 
A)  3000 
B)  6000 
C)  only a small fraction of the 6000, say 1000, because the rest are hidden by the Earth 
D)  It depends on the observer's latitude; observers at the poles will see 6000, while equatorial observers will see only one-half of this number, or 3000.

Question 12

Polaris is the name for the bright star almost directly in line with the north polar axis of Earth. What is the name of the bright star almost directly in line with the south polar axis of Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  Fomalhaut 
B)  Canopus 
C)  Alpha Centauri 
D)  There is no bright star almost directly in line with Earth's south polar axis. 
A)  Fomalhaut 
B)  Canopus 
C)  Alpha Centauri 
D)  There is no bright star almost directly in line with Earth's south polar axis.

Question 13

Which of these lines or points is always directly overhead, no matter the location on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  celestial equator 
B)  ecliptic 
C)  zenith 
D)  90° north declination 
A)  celestial equator 
B)  ecliptic 
C)  zenith 
D)  90° north declination

Question 14

The alt-azimuth coordinate system, as defined in the text, is useful

Accepted Answer

A)  everywhere on Earth. 
B)  only in the northern hemisphere. 
C)  only in wintertime. 
D)  only in a planetarium, not in the real sky. 
A)  everywhere on Earth. 
B)  only in the northern hemisphere. 
C)  only in wintertime. 
D)  only in a planetarium, not in the real sky.

Question 15

For an observer standing on the equator, which of these positions in the sky would pass directly over their head (i.e., through their zenith)? See Figure 1-17.

Accepted Answer

A)  position of the Sun at summer solstice 
B)  ecliptic pole, or the perpendicular to the direction of the ecliptic plane 
C)  north celestial pole, or the perpendicular to the direction of the celestial equator 
D)  vernal equinox, or the zero point of right ascension on the celestial equator 
A)  position of the Sun at summer solstice 
B)  ecliptic pole, or the perpendicular to the direction of the ecliptic plane 
C)  north celestial pole, or the perpendicular to the direction of the celestial equator 
D)  vernal equinox, or the zero point of right ascension on the celestial equator

Question 16

The position in Earth's orbit around the Sun that at present corresponds to winter solstice will instead correspond to summer solstice in about _____ years.

Accepted Answer

A)  6500 
B)  13,000 
C)  19,500 
D)  26,000 
A)  6500 
B)  13,000 
C)  19,500 
D)  26,000

Question 17

At approximately what time does the new Moon rise?

Accepted Answer

A)  sunset 
B)  sunrise 
C)  midday 
D)  midnight 
A)  sunset 
B)  sunrise 
C)  midday 
D)  midnight

Question 18

The average distance from Earth to the Sun, 149,600,000 km, can be written in scientific notation as

Accepted Answer

A)  1.496 × 108 km. 
B)  1.496 × 106 km. 
C)  1.496 × 109 km. 
D)  1.496 × 107 km. 
A)  1.496 × 108 km. 
B)  1.496 × 106 km. 
C)  1.496 × 109 km. 
D)  1.496 × 107 km.

Question 19

About how much time passes between a new Moon and the first quarter?

Accepted Answer

A)  1 day 
B)  1 week 
C)  1 sidereal month 
D)  1 synodic month 
A)  1 day 
B)  1 week 
C)  1 sidereal month 
D)  1 synodic month

Question 20

A comet that is moving southward from the north celestial pole toward the equator can be described as having its

Accepted Answer

A)  declination decrease with time. 
B)  right ascension decrease with time. 
C)  right ascension increase with time. 
D)  declination increase with time. 
A)  declination decrease with time. 
B)  right ascension decrease with time. 
C)  right ascension increase with time. 
D)  declination increase with time.

Suppose the Moon moved westward rather than eastward in its orbit. How would eclipses be affected?

How long will it take, in solar time, for the Big Dipper, to return to the same position in an observer's sky?

Precession is the

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when

An observer is studying the horizon from somewhere in the northern hemisphere, and he sees that the stars are setting, following a slanted path from the observer's upper right to the horizon on their left. Which horizon are they facing?

The most recent correction to the calendar to keep the yearly date in tune with the seasons (resulting in the present calendar) was instituted by

The Moon is seen to keep one face toward Earth at all times. If viewed from a point directly above the plane of the planetary system, how does it have to rotate to maintain this alignment?

How do the alt-azimuth coordinates of a star compare with the R.A., Dec. coordinates of that same star?

10⁸/10⁹ =

How much of the total surface of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun when it is at quarter phase?

If there are about 6000 stars in the entire sky that can be seen by the unaided human eye, about how many stars would be seen at a particular instant on a given dark night from a single location with an uninterrupted distant horizon?

Polaris is the name for the bright star almost directly in line with the north polar axis of Earth. What is the name of the bright star almost directly in line with the south polar axis of Earth?

Which of these lines or points is always directly overhead, no matter the location on Earth?

The alt-azimuth coordinate system, as defined in the text, is useful

For an observer standing on the equator, which of these positions in the sky would pass directly over their head (i.e., through their zenith)? See Figure 1-17.

The position in Earth's orbit around the Sun that at present corresponds to winter solstice will instead correspond to summer solstice in about _____ years.

At approximately what time does the new Moon rise?

The average distance from Earth to the Sun, 149,600,000 km, can be written in scientific notation as

About how much time passes between a new Moon and the first quarter?

A comet that is moving southward from the north celestial pole toward the equator can be described as having its

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

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Exam 1: Discovering the Night Sky

Suppose the Moon moved westward rather than eastward in its orbit. How would eclipses be affected?

How long will it take, in solar time, for the Big Dipper, to return to the same position in an observer's sky?

Precession is the

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when

An observer is studying the horizon from somewhere in the northern hemisphere, and he sees that the stars are setting, following a slanted path from the observer's upper right to the horizon on their left. Which horizon are they facing?

The most recent correction to the calendar to keep the yearly date in tune with the seasons (resulting in the present calendar) was instituted by

The Moon is seen to keep one face toward Earth at all times. If viewed from a point directly above the plane of the planetary system, how does it have to rotate to maintain this alignment?

How do the alt-azimuth coordinates of a star compare with the R.A., Dec. coordinates of that same star?

108/109 =

How much of the total surface of the Moon is illuminated by the Sun when it is at quarter phase?

If there are about 6000 stars in the entire sky that can be seen by the unaided human eye, about how many stars would be seen at a particular instant on a given dark night from a single location with an uninterrupted distant horizon?

Polaris is the name for the bright star almost directly in line with the north polar axis of Earth. What is the name of the bright star almost directly in line with the south polar axis of Earth?

Which of these lines or points is always directly overhead, no matter the location on Earth?

The alt-azimuth coordinate system, as defined in the text, is useful

For an observer standing on the equator, which of these positions in the sky would pass directly over their head (i.e., through their zenith)? See Figure 1-17.

The position in Earth's orbit around the Sun that at present corresponds to winter solstice will instead correspond to summer solstice in about _____ years.

At approximately what time does the new Moon rise?

The average distance from Earth to the Sun, 149,600,000 km, can be written in scientific notation as

About how much time passes between a new Moon and the first quarter?

A comet that is moving southward from the north celestial pole toward the equator can be described as having its

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

10⁸/10⁹ =