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

Which of the following 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 3

After aquarius,the vernal equinox will move into the constellation:

Accepted Answer

A)  Capricorn. 
B)  Sagittarius. 
C)  Ophiuchus. 
D)  Pisces. 
A)  Capricorn. 
B)  Sagittarius. 
C)  Ophiuchus. 
D)  Pisces.

Question 4

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 5

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 6

It is unsafe to view which type of eclipse without special eye protection?

Accepted Answer

A)  penumbral lunar eclipse 
B)  partial lunar eclipse 
C)  total lunar eclipse 
D)  solar eclipse 
A)  penumbral lunar eclipse 
B)  partial lunar eclipse 
C)  total lunar eclipse 
D)  solar eclipse

Question 7

Viewed from the southern hemisphere:

Accepted Answer

A)  the stars rise in the west and set in the east. 
B)  the Sun always rises north of due east. 
C)  the Sun rises due east on vernal equinox. 
D)  Polaris always appears due north. 
A)  the stars rise in the west and set in the east. 
B)  the Sun always rises north of due east. 
C)  the Sun rises due east on vernal equinox. 
D)  Polaris always appears due north.

Question 8

The change in the right ascension of the Sun between June 21 and December 21 is approximately:

Accepted Answer

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

Question 9

What is the cause of an annular eclipse?

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth's position in its orbit is near aphelion, its farthest point from the Sun. 
B)  Earth's position in its orbit is near perihelion, its nearest point to the Sun. 
C)  The Moon's position in its orbit is near apogee, its farthest point from Earth. 
D)  The Moon's position in its orbit is near perigee, its nearest point to Earth. 
A)  Earth's position in its orbit is near aphelion, its farthest point from the Sun. 
B)  Earth's position in its orbit is near perihelion, its nearest point to the Sun. 
C)  The Moon's position in its orbit is near apogee, its farthest point from Earth. 
D)  The Moon's position in its orbit is near perigee, its nearest point to Earth.

Question 10

In writing a mystery story,your friend has the fictitious villain planning a robbery and needs to use a statement about the timing of the robbery.Which of the following statements would you recommend to your friend?

Accepted Answer

A)  "Because it is new Moon this evening, we can plan the job for three weeks from today, when the night will be moonless." 
B)  "It is now full Moon, so we need to wait for two weeks before we get a moonless night." 
C)  "We will do the job about a month from now, when the sky will be moonless, because it is full Moon tonight." 
D)  "It is a first quarter Moon now, so we have to wait only about a week for a dark, moonless night." 
A)  "Because it is new Moon this evening, we can plan the job for three weeks from today, when the night will be moonless." 
B)  "It is now full Moon, so we need to wait for two weeks before we get a moonless night." 
C)  "We will do the job about a month from now, when the sky will be moonless, because it is full Moon tonight." 
D)  "It is a first quarter Moon now, so we have to wait only about a week for a dark, moonless night."

Question 11

If you follow Orion's belt as it slopes down to the left,the first bright star you come 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 12

The change in the declination of the Sun between December 21 and June 21 is approximately:

Accepted Answer

A)  180°. 
B)  47°. 
C)  23.5°. 
D)  90°. 
A)  180°. 
B)  47°. 
C)  23.5°. 
D)  90°.

Question 13

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 14

What was the approximate declination of the Sun on June 21 this year?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 15

The Milky Way Galaxy contains all of the following,EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

Accepted Answer

A)  stars 
B)  gas and dust 
C)  a black hole 
D)  a supercluster 
A)  stars 
B)  gas and dust 
C)  a black hole 
D)  a supercluster

Question 16

From a location in the northern hemisphere,the pole star always appears at an angle above the northern horizon equal to:

Accepted Answer

A)  180° plus the longitude of the location. 
B)  the latitude of the location. 
C)  the longitude of the location. 
D)  90° minus the latitude of the location. 
A)  180° plus the longitude of the location. 
B)  the latitude of the location. 
C)  the longitude of the location. 
D)  90° minus the latitude of the location.

Question 17

10⁸/10⁹ =

Accepted Answer

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

Question 18

Where would you have to be in either the northern or southern hemisphere for the Sun to remain below the horizon for a 24-hour period for at least part of a year?

Accepted Answer

A)  nowhere because the Sun is always visible at some time of the day everywhere on Earth 
B)  above about 66.5° latitude 
C)  above about 23.5° latitude 
D)  only at 90°, or exactly at the poles 
A)  nowhere because the Sun is always visible at some time of the day everywhere on Earth 
B)  above about 66.5° latitude 
C)  above about 23.5° latitude 
D)  only at 90°, or exactly at the poles

Question 19

Leap years-years that contain an extra day-are necessary because:

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth's speed of revolution along its elliptical orbit varies throughout the year. 
B)  365 days is not exactly divisible by four. 
C)  the rotation rate of Earth varies, leading to days of different length during the year. 
D)  the length of a year is not an exact number of days. 
A)  Earth's speed of revolution along its elliptical orbit varies throughout the year. 
B)  365 days is not exactly divisible by four. 
C)  the rotation rate of Earth varies, leading to days of different length during the year. 
D)  the length of a year is not an exact number of days.

Question 20

Why do we see different phases of the Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  The motion of the Moon in its orbit around Earth causes us to see different amounts of Earth's shadow falling on the Moon. 
B)  The motion of the Moon in its orbit around Earth causes us to see different amounts of the sunlit side of the Moon. 
C)  The distance of the Moon from Earth changes because of the elliptical orbit of the Moon, causing the sunlit side of the Moon to move relative to Earth. 
D)  The rotation of the Moon around its own axis causes us to see different amounts of the sunlit side of the Moon. 
A)  The motion of the Moon in its orbit around Earth causes us to see different amounts of Earth's shadow falling on the Moon. 
B)  The motion of the Moon in its orbit around Earth causes us to see different amounts of the sunlit side of the Moon. 
C)  The distance of the Moon from Earth changes because of the elliptical orbit of the Moon, causing the sunlit side of the Moon to move relative to Earth. 
D)  The rotation of the Moon around its own axis causes us to see different amounts of the sunlit side of the Moon.

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

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

After aquarius,the vernal equinox will move into the constellation:

10-³ × 10³ =

Eclipses of the Moon can occur ONLY:

It is unsafe to view which type of eclipse without special eye protection?

Viewed from the southern hemisphere:

The change in the right ascension of the Sun between June 21 and December 21 is approximately:

What is the cause of an annular eclipse?

In writing a mystery story,your friend has the fictitious villain planning a robbery and needs to use a statement about the timing of the robbery.Which of the following statements would you recommend to your friend?

If you follow Orion's belt as it slopes down to the left,the first bright star you come to is:

The change in the declination of the Sun between December 21 and June 21 is approximately:

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:

What was the approximate declination of the Sun on June 21 this year?

The Milky Way Galaxy contains all of the following,EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

From a location in the northern hemisphere,the pole star always appears at an angle above the northern horizon equal to:

10⁸/10⁹ =

Where would you have to be in either the northern or southern hemisphere for the Sun to remain below the horizon for a 24-hour period for at least part of a year?

Leap years-years that contain an extra day-are necessary because:

Why do we see different phases of the Moon?

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

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Exam 1: Discovering the Night Sky

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

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

After aquarius,the vernal equinox will move into the constellation:

10-³ × 10³ =

Eclipses of the Moon can occur ONLY:

It is unsafe to view which type of eclipse without special eye protection?

Viewed from the southern hemisphere:

The change in the right ascension of the Sun between June 21 and December 21 is approximately:

What is the cause of an annular eclipse?

In writing a mystery story,your friend has the fictitious villain planning a robbery and needs to use a statement about the timing of the robbery.Which of the following statements would you recommend to your friend?

If you follow Orion's belt as it slopes down to the left,the first bright star you come to is:

The change in the declination of the Sun between December 21 and June 21 is approximately:

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:

What was the approximate declination of the Sun on June 21 this year?

The Milky Way Galaxy contains all of the following,EXCEPT ONE.Which is the exception?

From a location in the northern hemisphere,the pole star always appears at an angle above the northern horizon equal to:

10⁸/10⁹ =

Where would you have to be in either the northern or southern hemisphere for the Sun to remain below the horizon for a 24-hour period for at least part of a year?

Leap years-years that contain an extra day-are necessary because:

Why do we see different phases of the Moon?

Gravitation and the Waltz of the Planets

Light and Telescopes

Formation of the Solar System and Other Planetary Systems

Exoplanets

The Terrestrial Planets and Their Moons

The Outer Planets and Their Moons

Vagabonds of the Solar System

The Sun: Our Extraordinary Ordinary Star

Characterizing Stars

The Lives of the Stars From Birth Through Middle Age

The Deaths and Remnants of Stars

The Galaxies

Cosmology

Astrobiology

Filters