Question 1

The vernal equinox occurs above the same geographic point on Earth from year to year.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 2

A third-quarter Moon is visible

Accepted Answer

A)  near the eastern horizon just before sunrise. 
B)  near the eastern horizon just after sunset. 
C)  in the southern sky at sunrise. 
D)  in the southern sky at sunset. 
E)  from sunset until sunrise. 
A)  near the eastern horizon just before sunrise. 
B)  near the eastern horizon just after sunset. 
C)  in the southern sky at sunrise. 
D)  in the southern sky at sunset. 
E)  from sunset until sunrise.

Question 3

Astronomy is pseudoscience.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 4

The inclination of the axis of the Earth varies from 22 ° to 24 ° degrees taking ____ to complete a cycle. This is a factor in the Milankovitch hypothesis of ice ages.

Accepted Answer

A)  24 hours 
B)  1 year 
C)  499 years 
D)  41,000 years 
E)  Wrong! The Earth's axis tilt is fixed at exactly 23.50 with no variation whatsoever. 
A)  24 hours 
B)  1 year 
C)  499 years 
D)  41,000 years 
E)  Wrong! The Earth's axis tilt is fixed at exactly 23.50 with no variation whatsoever.

Question 5

Relative to the stars, the Moon moves about ____ eastward in the sky each night.

Accepted Answer

A)  1° 
B)  5° 
C)  13° 
D)  27.3° 
E)  29.5° 
A)  1° 
B)  5° 
C)  13° 
D)  27.3° 
E)  29.5°

Question 6

The time for the Moon to repeat its cycle of phases is equal to

Accepted Answer

A)  its sidereal period. 
B)  one day. 
C)  one hour. 
D)  one year. 
E)  its synodic period. 
A)  its sidereal period. 
B)  one day. 
C)  one hour. 
D)  one year. 
E)  its synodic period.

Question 7

The ecliptic passes through the zodiac.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

The Moon always keeps the same side facing Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 9

Precession of Earth's axis causes the date at which perihelion of Earth's orbit occurs to slowly change.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 10

What would you see if you were on the Moon and facing Earth when people on Earth saw a total lunar eclipse?

Accepted Answer

You would see the Sun eclipsed

Question 11

The ________ cycle of the phases of the Moon is due to the Moon's spherical shape and the ______ shining on it from different directions.

Accepted Answer

A)  monthly; Earth 
B)  yearly; Earth 
C)  monthly; S un 
D)  yearly; Sun 
A)  monthly; Earth 
B)  yearly; Earth 
C)  monthly; S un 
D)  yearly; Sun

Question 12

Earth's orbit is nearly circular, varying by only a few percent in distance from the Sun over one orbital period.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 13

Choose the correct word(s) that make the statement true. Say you live in the southern hemisphere and the date is March 20. For you, summer is ending. Therefore, the March 20th date is the first day of (spring, summer, fall, winter), an event called the (vernal equinox, summer solstice, autumnal equinox, winter solstice ) .

Accepted Answer

fall, vern

Question 14

Why have more people seen total lunar eclipses than total solar eclipses?

Accepted Answer

Earth casts a larger shadow on the Moon

Question 15

If you were on the Moon during a total lunar eclipse, the Sun would be hidden behind Earth.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

The ____ of the Moon is the period of time for the Moon to complete a cycle of the lunar phases and is approximately 29.5 days long.

Accepted Answer

A)  sidereal period 
B)  Saros cycle 
C)  synodic period 
D)  eclipse season 
E)  umbral period 
A)  sidereal period 
B)  Saros cycle 
C)  synodic period 
D)  eclipse season 
E)  umbral period

Question 17

The sidereal period of the Moon is

Accepted Answer

A)  about 27.32 days long. 
B)  the period of time for the Moon to orbit Earth once with respect to the stars. 
C)  the period of time between successive eclipses at a given location on Earth. 
D)  the period of time from when the Moon rises until the Moon rises again the next night. 
E)  about 27.32 days long and the period of time for the Moon to orbit Earth once with respect to the stars. 
A)  about 27.32 days long. 
B)  the period of time for the Moon to orbit Earth once with respect to the stars. 
C)  the period of time between successive eclipses at a given location on Earth. 
D)  the period of time from when the Moon rises until the Moon rises again the next night. 
E)  about 27.32 days long and the period of time for the Moon to orbit Earth once with respect to the stars.

Question 18

In which direction does the daily motion of the Moon occur in the sky, against the background stars, when viewed from the Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  toward the west 
B)  toward the east 
C)  toward the north celestial pole in the summer and the south celestial pole in the winter 
D)  No predictable pattern can be discerned. 
A)  toward the west 
B)  toward the east 
C)  toward the north celestial pole in the summer and the south celestial pole in the winter 
D)  No predictable pattern can be discerned.

Question 19

__________ refers to turning motion around a body's axis whereas ___________ refers to motion of a body around a point.

Accepted Answer

Rotation,

Question 20

The Moon's angular diameter in our sky as observed from Earth is measured to be 0.5°. From this, we can find the diameter of the Moon in kilometers if we also know the Moon's

Accepted Answer

A)  distance from the Earth. 
B)  element composition 
C)  distance from the Sun. 
A)  distance from the Earth. 
B)  element composition 
C)  distance from the Sun.

The vernal equinox occurs above the same geographic point on Earth from year to year.

A third-quarter Moon is visible

Astronomy is pseudoscience.

The inclination of the axis of the Earth varies from 22 ° to 24 ° degrees taking ____ to complete a cycle. This is a factor in the Milankovitch hypothesis of ice ages.

Relative to the stars, the Moon moves about ____ eastward in the sky each night.

The time for the Moon to repeat its cycle of phases is equal to

The ecliptic passes through the zodiac.

The Moon always keeps the same side facing Earth.

Precession of Earth's axis causes the date at which perihelion of Earth's orbit occurs to slowly change.

What would you see if you were on the Moon and facing Earth when people on Earth saw a total lunar eclipse?

The __ cycle of the phases of the Moon is due to the Moon's spherical shape and the shining on it from different directions.

Earth's orbit is nearly circular, varying by only a few percent in distance from the Sun over one orbital period.

Why have more people seen total lunar eclipses than total solar eclipses?

If you were on the Moon during a total lunar eclipse, the Sun would be hidden behind Earth.

The ____ of the Moon is the period of time for the Moon to complete a cycle of the lunar phases and is approximately 29.5 days long.

The sidereal period of the Moon is

In which direction does the daily motion of the Moon occur in the sky, against the background stars, when viewed from the Earth?

refers to turning motion around a body's axis whereas _ refers to motion of a body around a point.

The Moon's angular diameter in our sky as observed from Earth is measured to be 0.5°. From this, we can find the diameter of the Moon in kilometers if we also know the Moon's

Here and Now

A Users Guide to the Sky

The Origin of Modern Astronomy

Light and Telescopes

Atoms and Spectra

The Sun

The Family of Stars

The Formation and Structure of Stars

The Deaths of Stars

Neutron Stars and Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies: Normal and Active

Modern Cosmology

Origin of the Solar System and Extrasolar Planets

Earth and Moon: Bases for Comparative Planetology

Mercury, Venus, and Mars

The Outer Solar System

Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets

Astrobiology: Life on Other Worlds

Filters

Exam 3: Cycles of the Sun and Moon

The vernal equinox occurs above the same geographic point on Earth from year to year.

A third-quarter Moon is visible

Astronomy is pseudoscience.

The inclination of the axis of the Earth varies from 22 ° to 24 ° degrees taking ____ to complete a cycle. This is a factor in the Milankovitch hypothesis of ice ages.

Relative to the stars, the Moon moves about ____ eastward in the sky each night.

The time for the Moon to repeat its cycle of phases is equal to

The ecliptic passes through the zodiac.

The Moon always keeps the same side facing Earth.

Precession of Earth's axis causes the date at which perihelion of Earth's orbit occurs to slowly change.

What would you see if you were on the Moon and facing Earth when people on Earth saw a total lunar eclipse?

The ________ cycle of the phases of the Moon is due to the Moon's spherical shape and the ______ shining on it from different directions.

Earth's orbit is nearly circular, varying by only a few percent in distance from the Sun over one orbital period.

Why have more people seen total lunar eclipses than total solar eclipses?

If you were on the Moon during a total lunar eclipse, the Sun would be hidden behind Earth.

The ____ of the Moon is the period of time for the Moon to complete a cycle of the lunar phases and is approximately 29.5 days long.

The sidereal period of the Moon is

In which direction does the daily motion of the Moon occur in the sky, against the background stars, when viewed from the Earth?

__________ refers to turning motion around a body's axis whereas ___________ refers to motion of a body around a point.

The Moon's angular diameter in our sky as observed from Earth is measured to be 0.5°. From this, we can find the diameter of the Moon in kilometers if we also know the Moon's

Here and Now

A Users Guide to the Sky

The Origin of Modern Astronomy

Light and Telescopes

Atoms and Spectra

The Sun

The Family of Stars

The Formation and Structure of Stars

The Deaths of Stars

Neutron Stars and Black Holes

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies: Normal and Active

Modern Cosmology

Origin of the Solar System and Extrasolar Planets

Earth and Moon: Bases for Comparative Planetology

Mercury, Venus, and Mars

The Outer Solar System

Meteorites, Asteroids, and Comets

Astrobiology: Life on Other Worlds

Filters

The __ cycle of the phases of the Moon is due to the Moon's spherical shape and the shining on it from different directions.

refers to turning motion around a body's axis whereas _ refers to motion of a body around a point.