Question 1

For the Moon to appear as a crescent shape to an observer,the:

Accepted Answer

A)  observer must be closer to the Sun than to the Moon. 
B)  observer must be on the opposite side of the Sun from the Moon. 
C)  Moon must be closer to the Sun than the observer is and somewhere between the Sun and the observer. 
D)  observer and the Moon must be at equal distances from the Sun. 
A)  observer must be closer to the Sun than to the Moon. 
B)  observer must be on the opposite side of the Sun from the Moon. 
C)  Moon must be closer to the Sun than the observer is and somewhere between the Sun and the observer. 
D)  observer and the Moon must be at equal distances from the Sun.

Question 2

(1/2)⁴ =

Accepted Answer

A)  0.5 
B)  6.25 × 10-² 
C)  16 
D)  0.125 
A)  0.5 
B)  6.25 × 10-² 
C)  16 
D)  0.125

Question 3

In a mystery story,the culprit made the following statements when describing the murder scene.Which of them was the only TRUE statement?

Accepted Answer

A)  "It was just after midnight, as the new Moon was setting over the western horizon." 
B)  "The time must have been about midnight because the full Moon was just setting in the west." 
C)  "It was about 6 p.m., as the first quarter Moon was just setting." 
D)  "The full Moon was just rising as the Sun set." 
A)  "It was just after midnight, as the new Moon was setting over the western horizon." 
B)  "The time must have been about midnight because the full Moon was just setting in the west." 
C)  "It was about 6 p.m., as the first quarter Moon was just setting." 
D)  "The full Moon was just rising as the Sun set."

Question 4

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when the:

Accepted Answer

A)  Sun is closest to Earth. 
B)  Sun is closest to the ecliptic. 
C)  Moon is closest to Earth. 
D)  northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun. 
A)  Sun is closest to Earth. 
B)  Sun is closest to the ecliptic. 
C)  Moon is closest to Earth. 
D)  northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun.

Question 5

The Arctic Circle is defined as a line on Earth where 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 6

When the Moon is in its gibbous phase,the right ascensions of the Sun and the Moon differ by:

Accepted Answer

A)  more than 6 hours. 
B)  6 hours. 
C)  0 hours. 
D)  less than 6 hours. 
A)  more than 6 hours. 
B)  6 hours. 
C)  0 hours. 
D)  less than 6 hours.

Question 7

Where would you have to be to see the north celestial pole directly over your head (i.e.,in your zenith)?

Accepted Answer

A)  on the equator 
B)  at the North Pole of Earth 
C)  at a position about 1° away from Earth's South Pole, to account for precession 
D)  at the South Pole of Earth 
A)  on the equator 
B)  at the North Pole of Earth 
C)  at a position about 1° away from Earth's South Pole, to account for precession 
D)  at the South Pole of Earth

Question 8

Which of the following years will be a leap year?

Accepted Answer

A)  2200 a.d. 
B)  2300 a.d. 
C)  2100 a.d. 
D)  2400 a.d. 
A)  2200 a.d. 
B)  2300 a.d. 
C)  2100 a.d. 
D)  2400 a.d.

Question 9

Approximately when does a full Moon rise?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 10

Over the course of one night,an observer at any given location on Earth sees the constellations gradually shift across the sky from east to west.This is caused primarily by the:

Accepted Answer

A)  inherent rotation of the universe. 
B)  rotation of Earth around its own axis. 
C)  precession of the spin axis of Earth. 
D)  orbital motion of Earth around the Sun. 
A)  inherent rotation of the universe. 
B)  rotation of Earth around its own axis. 
C)  precession of the spin axis of Earth. 
D)  orbital motion of Earth around the Sun.

Question 11

On December 21 of this year,the Sun will be at what declination angle?

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

On a given evening,you notice that the sunlit portion of the Moon has a crescent shape.This simple observation tells you:

Accepted Answer

A)  that the Moon is farther from the Sun than Earth is at that time. 
B)  nothing at all about the position of the Moon in space compared with that of Earth and the Sun. 
C)  that the line from Earth to the Moon is exactly at right angles to the Sun-Earth line. 
D)  that the Moon is closer to the Sun than Earth is on that evening. 
A)  that the Moon is farther from the Sun than Earth is at that time. 
B)  nothing at all about the position of the Moon in space compared with that of Earth and the Sun. 
C)  that the line from Earth to the Moon is exactly at right angles to the Sun-Earth line. 
D)  that the Moon is closer to the Sun than Earth is on that evening.

Question 13

How many constellations does the zodiac contain?

Accepted Answer

A)  10 
B)  12 
C)  13 
D)  15 
A)  10 
B)  12 
C)  13 
D)  15

Question 14

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 15

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

Accepted Answer

A)  none 
B)  less than half 
C)  half 
D)  more than half 
A)  none 
B)  less than half 
C)  half 
D)  more than half

Question 16

The person who introduced the leap year into our calendar was:

Accepted Answer

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

Question 17

As Earth rotates,the point above the head of a person standing on the equator (the person's zenith)sweeps out:

Accepted Answer

A)  along the celestial equator. 
B)  a variable path across the sky within the region of the zodiac, crossing the celestial equator at some point. 
C)  along the ecliptic plane. 
D)  a great circle path between the North and South Poles. 
A)  along the celestial equator. 
B)  a variable path across the sky within the region of the zodiac, crossing the celestial equator at some point. 
C)  along the ecliptic plane. 
D)  a great circle path between the North and South Poles.

Question 18

From the northern hemisphere,where in the sky would you expect to see true astronomical new Moon?

Accepted Answer

A)  in a direction opposite to that of the Sun 
B)  always in the south 
C)  in a direction at right angles to that of the Sun 
D)  The Moon is not visible at new Moon. 
A)  in a direction opposite to that of the Sun 
B)  always in the south 
C)  in a direction at right angles to that of the Sun 
D)  The Moon is not visible at new Moon.

Question 19

In the southern hemisphere,day and night are of equal duration on about:

Accepted Answer

A)  March 21. 
B)  December 21. 
C)  January 1, by definition. 
D)  June 21. 
A)  March 21. 
B)  December 21. 
C)  January 1, by definition. 
D)  June 21.

Question 20

For an observer at a fixed location on Earth,the angle between the north celestial pole and an observer's horizon depends on the:

Accepted Answer

A)  observer's longitude (east or west of Greenwich). 
B)  time of day. 
C)  time of year. 
D)  observer's latitude (north or south of the equator). 
A)  observer's longitude (east or west of Greenwich). 
B)  time of day. 
C)  time of year. 
D)  observer's latitude (north or south of the equator).

For the Moon to appear as a crescent shape to an observer,the:

(1/2)⁴ =

In a mystery story,the culprit made the following statements when describing the murder scene.Which of them was the only TRUE statement?

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when the:

The Arctic Circle is defined as a line on Earth where the Sun:

When the Moon is in its gibbous phase,the right ascensions of the Sun and the Moon differ by:

Where would you have to be to see the north celestial pole directly over your head (i.e.,in your zenith)?

Which of the following years will be a leap year?

Approximately when does a full Moon rise?

Over the course of one night,an observer at any given location on Earth sees the constellations gradually shift across the sky from east to west.This is caused primarily by the:

On December 21 of this year,the Sun will be at what declination angle?

On a given evening,you notice that the sunlit portion of the Moon has a crescent shape.This simple observation tells you:

How many constellations does the zodiac contain?

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.

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

The person who introduced the leap year into our calendar was:

As Earth rotates,the point above the head of a person standing on the equator (the person's zenith)sweeps out:

From the northern hemisphere,where in the sky would you expect to see true astronomical new Moon?

In the southern hemisphere,day and night are of equal duration on about:

For an observer at a fixed location on Earth,the angle between the north celestial pole and an observer's horizon depends on the:

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

For the Moon to appear as a crescent shape to an observer,the:

(1/2)⁴ =

In a mystery story,the culprit made the following statements when describing the murder scene.Which of them was the only TRUE statement?

Summertime in the northern hemisphere is when the:

The Arctic Circle is defined as a line on Earth where the Sun:

When the Moon is in its gibbous phase,the right ascensions of the Sun and the Moon differ by:

Where would you have to be to see the north celestial pole directly over your head (i.e.,in your zenith)?

Which of the following years will be a leap year?

Approximately when does a full Moon rise?

Over the course of one night,an observer at any given location on Earth sees the constellations gradually shift across the sky from east to west.This is caused primarily by the:

On December 21 of this year,the Sun will be at what declination angle?

On a given evening,you notice that the sunlit portion of the Moon has a crescent shape.This simple observation tells you:

How many constellations does the zodiac contain?

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.

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

The person who introduced the leap year into our calendar was:

As Earth rotates,the point above the head of a person standing on the equator (the person's zenith)sweeps out:

From the northern hemisphere,where in the sky would you expect to see true astronomical new Moon?

In the southern hemisphere,day and night are of equal duration on about:

For an observer at a fixed location on Earth,the angle between the north celestial pole and an observer's horizon depends on the:

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