Question 1

The constellation whose stars are used as pointers to the north celestial pole in the northern hemisphere is:

Accepted Answer

A)  Leo, the Lion, containing the bright star Regulus. 
B)  Ursa Major, the Big Dipper. 
C)  Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, containing the bright star Polaris. 
D)  Boötes, the Herdsman, containing the bright star Arcturus. 
A)  Leo, the Lion, containing the bright star Regulus. 
B)  Ursa Major, the Big Dipper. 
C)  Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, containing the bright star Polaris. 
D)  Boötes, the Herdsman, containing the bright star Arcturus.

Question 2

A particular location in the southern hemisphere experiences the longest day on about:

Accepted Answer

A)  September 22. 
B)  June 21. 
C)  March 21. 
D)  December 21. 
A)  September 22. 
B)  June 21. 
C)  March 21. 
D)  December 21.

Question 3

The direction of Earth's rotation about its axis is the same as the direction of its revolution about the Sun.How does a solar day compare with a sidereal day on Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  A solar day is always longer. 
B)  A sidereal day is always longer. 
C)  A solar day and a sidereal day are always the same length. 
D)  A sidereal day is longer when Earth is farther from the Sun (northern summer), but a solar day is longer when Earth is closer to the Sun (northern winter). 
A)  A solar day is always longer. 
B)  A sidereal day is always longer. 
C)  A solar day and a sidereal day are always the same length. 
D)  A sidereal day is longer when Earth is farther from the Sun (northern summer), but a solar day is longer when Earth is closer to the Sun (northern winter).

Question 4

If you start at Earth's south pole and move northward,at what latitude would Polaris first become visible?

Accepted Answer

A)  It would always be visible. 
B)  S 66.5° 
C)  S 23.5° 
D)  at the equator 
A)  It would always be visible. 
B)  S 66.5° 
C)  S 23.5° 
D)  at the equator

Question 5

The ecliptic can be defined as the:

Accepted Answer

A)  extension of Earth's equator onto the sky. 
B)  plane that is perpendicular to Earth's spin axis. 
C)  path traced out by the Moon in our sky in one month against the background stars. 
D)  path traced out by the Sun in our sky over one year against the background stars. 
A)  extension of Earth's equator onto the sky. 
B)  plane that is perpendicular to Earth's spin axis. 
C)  path traced out by the Moon in our sky in one month against the background stars. 
D)  path traced out by the Sun in our sky over one year against the background stars.

Question 6

The total number of eclipses is limited to seven or fewer per year because one condition that must be met for a lunar or solar eclipse is that:

Accepted Answer

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

Question 7

The vernal equinox is the time of the year when:

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth is at the closest point to the Sun in its elliptical orbit. 
B)  the Sun crosses the equatorial plane, or celestial equator, moving northward. 
C)  the Sun crosses the equatorial plane, or celestial equator, moving southward. 
D)  the Sun crosses the ecliptic plane. 
A)  Earth is at the closest point to the Sun in its elliptical orbit. 
B)  the Sun crosses the equatorial plane, or celestial equator, moving northward. 
C)  the Sun crosses the equatorial plane, or celestial equator, moving southward. 
D)  the Sun crosses the ecliptic plane.

Question 8

By how many powers of ten is the diameter of the Sun (1.4 × 10⁵ km)greater than the length of a beetle (14 mm)?

Accepted Answer

A)  10 
B)  8 
C)  11 
D)  5 
A)  10 
B)  8 
C)  11 
D)  5

Question 9

If Earth's revolution around the Sun were reversed in direction,you would find that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the constellations of the northern and southern hemispheres would be reversed. 
B)  the stars would set about four 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)  the constellations of the northern and southern hemispheres would be reversed. 
B)  the stars would set about four 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 10

A full Moon will always be at its highest in our sky at about:

Accepted Answer

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

Question 11

A total solar eclipse is visible (assuming clear skies everywhere):

Accepted Answer

A)  only to people in a circular area on Earth having a diameter equal to that of the Moon. 
B)  only to people in a long narrow path, much smaller than a hemisphere. 
C)  to everyone on the Earth. 
D)  to people anywhere in the sunlit hemisphere of Earth. 
A)  only to people in a circular area on Earth having a diameter equal to that of the Moon. 
B)  only to people in a long narrow path, much smaller than a hemisphere. 
C)  to everyone on the Earth. 
D)  to people anywhere in the sunlit hemisphere of Earth.

Question 12

If you were at the South Pole of Earth for a full year,what would be the highest angle reached by the Sun above your horizon?

Accepted Answer

A)  90° 
B)  It would never reach above the horizon-the South Pole is always in darkness. 
C)  0°, only just reaching the horizon 
D)  23.5° 
A)  90° 
B)  It would never reach above the horizon-the South Pole is always in darkness. 
C)  0°, only just reaching the horizon 
D)  23.5°

Question 13

The axis around which Earth rotates:

Accepted Answer

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

Question 14

An asterism is:

Accepted Answer

A)  exactly the same thing as a constellation. 
B)  a group of stars that have planets orbiting around them. 
C)  a pattern of relatively bright stars. 
D)  the remnant of an exploded massive star. 
A)  exactly the same thing as a constellation. 
B)  a group of stars that have planets orbiting around them. 
C)  a pattern of relatively bright stars. 
D)  the remnant of an exploded massive star.

Question 15

What is the phase of the Moon during a total lunar eclipse?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 16

The phrase "diurnal motion" refers to the:

Accepted Answer

A)  slow change in position of the constellations from east to west from night to night, resulting in different constellations being visible at 11 p.m. in May than at 11 p.m. in December. 
B)  change in position of the Moon in the sky as it runs through its phases over the course of a month. 
C)  apparent motion of the Sun along the ecliptic over the course of a year. 
D)  gradual motion of the constellations from east to west across the sky each night, resulting in different constellations being visible at 4 a.m. than at 10 p.m. on any given night. 
A)  slow change in position of the constellations from east to west from night to night, resulting in different constellations being visible at 11 p.m. in May than at 11 p.m. in December. 
B)  change in position of the Moon in the sky as it runs through its phases over the course of a month. 
C)  apparent motion of the Sun along the ecliptic over the course of a year. 
D)  gradual motion of the constellations from east to west across the sky each night, resulting in different constellations being visible at 4 a.m. than at 10 p.m. on any given night.

Question 17

Precession makes Earth's spin axis move in a slow conical pattern,the end of the axis covering a complete circle in a period of:

Accepted Answer

A)  2600 years. 
B)  26 million years. 
C)  26,000 years. 
D)  1 year. 
A)  2600 years. 
B)  26 million years. 
C)  26,000 years. 
D)  1 year.

Question 18

If you watch (or photograph)stars near the north celestial pole for a period of several hours,in what basic pattern do they appear to move?

Accepted Answer

A)  spirals, as the stars move while Earth rotates 
B)  ellipses, with the North Pole at one focus 
C)  almost straight lines, rising from the horizon toward the zenith 
D)  circles, with the north celestial pole at the center 
A)  spirals, as the stars move while Earth rotates 
B)  ellipses, with the North Pole at one focus 
C)  almost straight lines, rising from the horizon toward the zenith 
D)  circles, with the north celestial pole at the center

Question 19

Which way are you moving with respect to the stars because of the rotation of Earth?

Accepted Answer

A)  westward 
B)  southward 
C)  northward 
D)  eastward 
A)  westward 
B)  southward 
C)  northward 
D)  eastward

Question 20

The text suggests that astronomy synthesizes.What does this mean?

Accepted Answer

A)  Astronomy theorizes about things that cannot be seen. 
B)  Astronomy builds or synthesizes models of physical systems. 
C)  Astronomy brings together information from many other fields of science. 
D)  Astronomy attempts to fit theoretical relationships to a mathematical progression called the synthetic series. 
A)  Astronomy theorizes about things that cannot be seen. 
B)  Astronomy builds or synthesizes models of physical systems. 
C)  Astronomy brings together information from many other fields of science. 
D)  Astronomy attempts to fit theoretical relationships to a mathematical progression called the synthetic series.

The constellation whose stars are used as pointers to the north celestial pole in the northern hemisphere is:

A particular location in the southern hemisphere experiences the longest day on about:

The direction of Earth's rotation about its axis is the same as the direction of its revolution about the Sun.How does a solar day compare with a sidereal day on Earth?

If you start at Earth's south pole and move northward,at what latitude would Polaris first become visible?

The ecliptic can be defined as the:

The total number of eclipses is limited to seven or fewer per year because one condition that must be met for a lunar or solar eclipse is that:

The vernal equinox is the time of the year when:

By how many powers of ten is the diameter of the Sun (1.4 × 10⁵ km)greater than the length of a beetle (14 mm)?

If Earth's revolution around the Sun were reversed in direction,you would find that:

A full Moon will always be at its highest in our sky at about:

A total solar eclipse is visible (assuming clear skies everywhere):

If you were at the South Pole of Earth for a full year,what would be the highest angle reached by the Sun above your horizon?

The axis around which Earth rotates:

An asterism is:

What is the phase of the Moon during a total lunar eclipse?

The phrase "diurnal motion" refers to the:

Precession makes Earth's spin axis move in a slow conical pattern,the end of the axis covering a complete circle in a period of:

If you watch (or photograph)stars near the north celestial pole for a period of several hours,in what basic pattern do they appear to move?

Which way are you moving with respect to the stars because of the rotation of Earth?

The text suggests that astronomy synthesizes.What does this mean?

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

Exam 1: Discovering the Night Sky

The constellation whose stars are used as pointers to the north celestial pole in the northern hemisphere is:

A particular location in the southern hemisphere experiences the longest day on about:

The direction of Earth's rotation about its axis is the same as the direction of its revolution about the Sun.How does a solar day compare with a sidereal day on Earth?

If you start at Earth's south pole and move northward,at what latitude would Polaris first become visible?

The ecliptic can be defined as the:

The total number of eclipses is limited to seven or fewer per year because one condition that must be met for a lunar or solar eclipse is that:

The vernal equinox is the time of the year when:

By how many powers of ten is the diameter of the Sun (1.4 × 10⁵ km)greater than the length of a beetle (14 mm)?

If Earth's revolution around the Sun were reversed in direction,you would find that:

A full Moon will always be at its highest in our sky at about:

A total solar eclipse is visible (assuming clear skies everywhere):

If you were at the South Pole of Earth for a full year,what would be the highest angle reached by the Sun above your horizon?

The axis around which Earth rotates:

An asterism is:

What is the phase of the Moon during a total lunar eclipse?

The phrase "diurnal motion" refers to the:

Precession makes Earth's spin axis move in a slow conical pattern,the end of the axis covering a complete circle in a period of:

If you watch (or photograph)stars near the north celestial pole for a period of several hours,in what basic pattern do they appear to move?

Which way are you moving with respect to the stars because of the rotation of Earth?

The text suggests that astronomy synthesizes.What does this mean?

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