Question 1

The phase of the Moon at the time of solar eclipse:

Accepted Answer

A)  is full. 
B)  can be any phase-new, quarter, or full. 
C)  is new. 
D)  is third quarter. 
A)  is full. 
B)  can be any phase-new, quarter, or full. 
C)  is new. 
D)  is third quarter.

Question 2

When the Sun is at one of the equinoxes:

Accepted Answer

A)  the day is longer than the night in one hemisphere of Earth and shorter in the other hemisphere. 
B)  day and night are of equal length only for people on the equator. 
C)  people on the equator have perpetual daylight. 
D)  day and night are of equal length everywhere on Earth. 
A)  the day is longer than the night in one hemisphere of Earth and shorter in the other hemisphere. 
B)  day and night are of equal length only for people on the equator. 
C)  people on the equator have perpetual daylight. 
D)  day and night are of equal length everywhere on Earth.

Question 3

The Moon is visible in the sky in the daytime from most places on Earth:

Accepted Answer

A)  only at full Moon phase, when it is very bright. 
B)  almost never-only during solar eclipses when the sky is dark. 
C)  about half the time, or for two weeks in every month. 
D)  at some time every day, but it is difficult to see because of the blue sky. 
A)  only at full Moon phase, when it is very bright. 
B)  almost never-only during solar eclipses when the sky is dark. 
C)  about half the time, or for two weeks in every month. 
D)  at some time every day, but it is difficult to see because of the blue sky.

Question 4

If a star is described as being in the constellation Leo,a modern astronomer knows that it is:

Accepted Answer

A)  one of a few individual bright stars making up a crude picture (of a lion) in the sky. 
B)  in a specific region of the sky bounded by definite lines of right ascension and declination. 
C)  somewhere within the image of a lion in the sky, which itself is outlined by bright stars. 
D)  somewhere in a particular region of the sky, having definite boundaries. 
A)  one of a few individual bright stars making up a crude picture (of a lion) in the sky. 
B)  in a specific region of the sky bounded by definite lines of right ascension and declination. 
C)  somewhere within the image of a lion in the sky, which itself is outlined by bright stars. 
D)  somewhere in a particular region of the sky, having definite boundaries.

Question 5

Precession of Earth's spin axis results in:

Accepted Answer

A)  changes of the positions of the constellations that are visible at night from Earth over the period of one year. 
B)  a gradual shift of the vernal equinox along the ecliptic. 
C)  a daily shift in the position of the overhead direction (the zenith) of an observer relative to the celestial equator (for an observer at a fixed location on Earth). 
D)  a gradual change in the angle between the ecliptic and the celestial equator. 
A)  changes of the positions of the constellations that are visible at night from Earth over the period of one year. 
B)  a gradual shift of the vernal equinox along the ecliptic. 
C)  a daily shift in the position of the overhead direction (the zenith) of an observer relative to the celestial equator (for an observer at a fixed location on Earth). 
D)  a gradual change in the angle between the ecliptic and the celestial equator.

Question 6

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, of course 
C)  only a small fraction of the 6000, say 1000, because the rest are hidden by 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, of course 
C)  only a small fraction of the 6000, say 1000, because the rest are hidden by 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 7

Over what typical time scale will the particular pattern of stars in a specific constellation appear to change from our view on Earth because of celestial motions?

Accepted Answer

A)  thousands of years because of motions of individual stars 
B)  millions of years because stars move very slowly with respect to each other 
C)  a few hours because of Earth's rotation 
D)  a year because of Earth's orbital motion 
A)  thousands of years because of motions of individual stars 
B)  millions of years because stars move very slowly with respect to each other 
C)  a few hours because of Earth's rotation 
D)  a year because of Earth's orbital motion

Question 8

The tropical year is different from the sidereal year because:

Accepted Answer

A)  Earth precesses on its axis. 
B)  the Sun moves through the Galaxy. 
C)  Earth moves in its orbit. 
D)  Earth's orbit is elliptical. 
A)  Earth precesses on its axis. 
B)  the Sun moves through the Galaxy. 
C)  Earth moves in its orbit. 
D)  Earth's orbit is elliptical.

Question 9

If you were standing on the South Pole at the time of the autumnal equinox,where would you expect the Sun to be at midday?

Accepted Answer

A)  in your zenith 
B)  23.5° above the horizon 
C)  well below your horizon 
D)  on your horizon 
A)  in your zenith 
B)  23.5° above the horizon 
C)  well below your horizon 
D)  on your horizon

Question 10

When the Moon is in its gibbous phase,the positions of the Moon,Earth,and the Sun are such that:

Accepted Answer

A)  the Moon is closer to the Sun than Earth is. 
B)  the relative distances of Earth and the Moon from the Sun are irrelevant because this phase can occur at any time. 
C)  Earth and the Moon are at almost the same distance from the Sun. 
D)  the Moon is farther from the Sun than Earth is. 
A)  the Moon is closer to the Sun than Earth is. 
B)  the relative distances of Earth and the Moon from the Sun are irrelevant because this phase can occur at any time. 
C)  Earth and the Moon are at almost the same distance from the Sun. 
D)  the Moon is farther from the Sun than Earth is.

Question 11

A long pole is 6' 4" (1.92 m)in length.How many poles like this could fit,end to end,between Earth and the Moon (3.84 × 10⁸ m)?

Accepted Answer

A)  10⁸ 
B)  10² 
C)  200 
D)  2 × 10⁸ 
A)  10⁸ 
B)  10² 
C)  200 
D)  2 × 10⁸

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

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

Question 13

What was the approximate value of the right ascension of the Sun this year on March 21?

Accepted Answer

A)  It would have no particular value because it can vary between 0 hours and 24 hours. 
B)  0 hours 0 minutes 
C)  12 hours 0 minutes 
D)  1 hour 0 minutes 
A)  It would have no particular value because it can vary between 0 hours and 24 hours. 
B)  0 hours 0 minutes 
C)  12 hours 0 minutes 
D)  1 hour 0 minutes

Question 14

10¹⁶ × 10-⁵/10-⁸ =

Accepted Answer

A)  10³ 
B)  10-³ 
C)  10-¹⁹ 
D)  10¹⁹ 
A)  10³ 
B)  10-³ 
C)  10-¹⁹ 
D)  10¹⁹

Question 15

What was the declination of the Sun on March 21 this year?

Accepted Answer

A)  It would have no unique value but could be any angle between +23.5° and -23.5°. 
B)  23.5° 
C)  0° 
D)  180° 
A)  It would have no unique value but could be any angle between +23.5° and -23.5°. 
B)  23.5° 
C)  0° 
D)  180°

Question 16

The system of declination of right ascension is similar to the system of latitude and longitude used on the surface of Earth.In the Earth system,the zero of longitude is called the:

Accepted Answer

A)  Prime Meridian. 
B)  international date line. 
C)  Great Circle. 
D)  terminator line. 
A)  Prime Meridian. 
B)  international date line. 
C)  Great Circle. 
D)  terminator line.

Question 17

The reason for the slow drift of the position of the vernal equinox through our sky against the background stars over long periods of time is the:

Accepted Answer

A)  motion of Earth in its orbit. 
B)  overall movement of local stars in our sky. 
C)  movement of the Sun in the Milky Way Galaxy. 
D)  precession of Earth's spin axis. 
A)  motion of Earth in its orbit. 
B)  overall movement of local stars in our sky. 
C)  movement of the Sun in the Milky Way Galaxy. 
D)  precession of Earth's spin axis.

Question 18

The Sun's apparent path across our sky against the background stars (which would be seen if the sunlit sky were not light)is known as the:

Accepted Answer

A)  celestial meridian. 
B)  celestial equator. 
C)  Great Circle. 
D)  ecliptic. 
A)  celestial meridian. 
B)  celestial equator. 
C)  Great Circle. 
D)  ecliptic.

Question 19

The line of nodes of the Moon's orbit is the line of intersection of the orbit with the:

Accepted Answer

A)  celestial equator. 
B)  ecliptic plane. 
C)  observer's celestial meridian. 
D)  celestial meridian through Greenwich, England. 
A)  celestial equator. 
B)  ecliptic plane. 
C)  observer's celestial meridian. 
D)  celestial meridian through Greenwich, England.

Question 20

If the stars Polaris and Arcturus are seen to be 71° apart,as shown in Figure 1-3 in Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.,how far away from Polaris is the closest star in Ursa Major?

Accepted Answer

A)  2.5° 
B)  25° 
C)  7.1° 
D)  250° 
A)  2.5° 
B)  25° 
C)  7.1° 
D)  250°

The phase of the Moon at the time of solar eclipse:

When the Sun is at one of the equinoxes:

The Moon is visible in the sky in the daytime from most places on Earth:

If a star is described as being in the constellation Leo,a modern astronomer knows that it is:

Precession of Earth's spin axis results in:

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?

Over what typical time scale will the particular pattern of stars in a specific constellation appear to change from our view on Earth because of celestial motions?

The tropical year is different from the sidereal year because:

If you were standing on the South Pole at the time of the autumnal equinox,where would you expect the Sun to be at midday?

When the Moon is in its gibbous phase,the positions of the Moon,Earth,and the Sun are such that:

A long pole is 6' 4" (1.92 m)in length.How many poles like this could fit,end to end,between Earth and the Moon (3.84 × 10⁸ m)?

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

What was the approximate value of the right ascension of the Sun this year on March 21?

10¹⁶ × 10-⁵/10-⁸ =

What was the declination of the Sun on March 21 this year?

The system of declination of right ascension is similar to the system of latitude and longitude used on the surface of Earth.In the Earth system,the zero of longitude is called the:

The reason for the slow drift of the position of the vernal equinox through our sky against the background stars over long periods of time is the:

The Sun's apparent path across our sky against the background stars (which would be seen if the sunlit sky were not light)is known as the:

The line of nodes of the Moon's orbit is the line of intersection of the orbit with the:

If the stars Polaris and Arcturus are seen to be 71° apart,as shown in Figure 1-3 in Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.,how far away from Polaris is the closest star in Ursa Major?

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 phase of the Moon at the time of solar eclipse:

When the Sun is at one of the equinoxes:

The Moon is visible in the sky in the daytime from most places on Earth:

If a star is described as being in the constellation Leo,a modern astronomer knows that it is:

Precession of Earth's spin axis results in:

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?

Over what typical time scale will the particular pattern of stars in a specific constellation appear to change from our view on Earth because of celestial motions?

The tropical year is different from the sidereal year because:

If you were standing on the South Pole at the time of the autumnal equinox,where would you expect the Sun to be at midday?

When the Moon is in its gibbous phase,the positions of the Moon,Earth,and the Sun are such that:

A long pole is 6' 4" (1.92 m)in length.How many poles like this could fit,end to end,between Earth and the Moon (3.84 × 10⁸ m)?

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

What was the approximate value of the right ascension of the Sun this year on March 21?

10¹⁶ × 10-⁵/10-⁸ =

What was the declination of the Sun on March 21 this year?

The system of declination of right ascension is similar to the system of latitude and longitude used on the surface of Earth.In the Earth system,the zero of longitude is called the:

The reason for the slow drift of the position of the vernal equinox through our sky against the background stars over long periods of time is the:

The Sun's apparent path across our sky against the background stars (which would be seen if the sunlit sky were not light)is known as the:

The line of nodes of the Moon's orbit is the line of intersection of the orbit with the:

If the stars Polaris and Arcturus are seen to be 71° apart,as shown in Figure 1-3 in Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.,how far away from Polaris is the closest star in Ursa Major?

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