Question 1

In the southern hemisphere, summertime occurs when

Accepted Answer

A)   sunlight falls more directly on this hemisphere, heating it more than at other times of the year.
B)   Earth's equator is parallel to the plane of its orbit.
C)   sunlight falls less directly on this hemisphere, spreading the heat out over a greater area and thereby heating it more.
D)   Earth is farthest from the Sun in its elliptical orbit.E) B) and C)
F) B) and D)

Question 2

Which way do observers move with respect to the background stars because of the revolution of Earth in its orbit around the Sun?

Accepted Answer

A)   westward
B)   northeastward
C)   northwestward
D)   eastwardE) A) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 3

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

Accepted Answer

A)   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 minutesE) A) and B)
F) None of the above

Question 4

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

Accepted Answer

A)   sunrise.
B)   midnight.
C)   midday.
D)   sunset.E) C) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 5

Why do the precise astronomical coordinates of right ascension and declination of a star change systematically night by night?

Accepted Answer

A)   precession of Earth's spin axis
B)   bending of light by Earth's atmosphere
C)   They do not change because they are fixed positions on a star chart.
D)   motion of Earth in its orbit around the SunE) C) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 6

Where would an observer have to be to see the south celestial pole on the horizon?

Accepted Answer

A)   about 1° away from the South Pole, to allow for Earth's precession
B)   at the South Pole of Earth
C)   at the North Pole of Earth
D)   on the equatorE) B) and D)
F) C) and D)

Question 7

The daily and annual rhythms of the sky and Earth arise from all of these celestial motions EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

A)   Earth's spin around its axis.
B)   Earth's orbit around the Sun.
C)   Moon's spin around its axis.
D)   Moon's orbit around Earth.E) A) and D)
F) B) and D)

Question 8

The summer triangle, a group of three bright stars in the summer sky, consists of Deneb, Altair, and

Accepted Answer

A)   Betelgeuse.
B)   Vega.
C)   Pollux.
D)   Polaris.E) B) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 9

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.E) All of the above
F) A) and D)

Question 10

In a penumbral lunar eclipse,

Accepted Answer

A)   no points on the Moon are shaded from the Sun, either totally or partially.
B)   all parts of the Moon are partially (not totally)  shaded from the Sun.
C)   the entire Moon is shaded from the Sun.
D)   some points on the Moon are totally shaded from the Sun while others are only partially shaded.E) B) and C)
F) None of the above

Question 11

Precession makes the spin axis of Earth move in a slow coning pattern. The end of the axis covers a complete circle in a period of

Accepted Answer

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

Question 12

Because of precession, how long will it be before the spin axis of Earth points toward the present pole star again?

Accepted Answer

A)   at least 1 million years
B)   13,000 years
C)   26,000 years
D)   9 yearsE) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 13

1 arcminute is equal to

Accepted Answer

A)   1/60 of a full circle.
B)   1/60 arcsecond.
C)   1/3600°.
D)   1/60°.E) A) and B)
F) C) and D)

Question 14

During which type of lunar eclipse does the Moon remain longest in Earth's shadow?

Accepted Answer

A)   penumbral
B)   partial
C)   total
D)   For all three types of eclipse, the Moon remains in Earth's shadow the same length of time.E) A) and B)
F) C) and D)

Question 15

If an observer starts at Earth's South Pole and moves northward, at what latitude would Polaris first become visible?

Accepted Answer

A)   It would always be visible.
B)   66.5S
C)   23.5S
D)   at the equatorE) C) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 16

From Earth's North Pole,

Accepted Answer

A)   the whole of the celestial sphere is visible at some time during the year.
B)   only stars that are within 66.5° of the north celestial pole can be seen.
C)   only half the celestial sphere can be seen on any clear night.
D)   only stars that are 23.5° above the celestial equator can be seen.E) B) and D)
F) B) and C)

Question 17

In general, a sundial is NOT a good timekeeper because the

Accepted Answer

A)   Earth's orbital speed around the ecliptic is variable.
B)   Earth's rotation rate changes throughout the year.
C)   Sun's large angular diameter produces a fuzzy shadow.
D)   sky is often cloudy.E) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 18

In the system of celestial coordinates that matches latitude and longitude upon Earth, which is the coordinate that is equivalent to latitude?

Accepted Answer

A)   precession
B)   elongation angle
C)   declination
D)   right ascensionE) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 19

In which direction does the Sun appear to move along the ecliptic over the course of a year, relative to the background stars?

Accepted Answer

A)   west
B)   northwest
C)   southwest
D)   eastE) C) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 20

By what approximate factor, in scientific notation, is a human being (height about 2 m)  larger than the nucleus of a hydrogen atom, or proton (diameter about 10-15 m) ?

Accepted Answer

A)   2 × 1013
B)   2 × 1030
C)   2 × 10-15
D)   2 × 1015E) All of the above
F) A) and B)

Exam 1: Discovering the Night Sky

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The daily and annual rhythms of the sky and Earth arise from all of these celestial motions EXCEPT

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

1 arcminute is equal to

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The summer triangle, a group of three bright stars in the summer sky, consists of Deneb, Altair, and

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In general, a sundial is NOT a good timekeeper because the

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Precession makes the spin axis of Earth move in a slow coning pattern. The end of the axis covers a complete circle in a period of

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

By what approximate factor, in scientific notation, is a human being (height about 2 m) larger than the nucleus of a hydrogen atom, or proton (diameter about 10-15 m) ?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why do the precise astronomical coordinates of right ascension and declination of a star change systematically night by night?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the southern hemisphere, summertime occurs when

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

If an observer starts at Earth's South Pole and moves northward, at what latitude would Polaris first become visible?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In the system of celestial coordinates that matches latitude and longitude upon Earth, which is the coordinate that is equivalent to latitude?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In which direction does the Sun appear to move along the ecliptic over the course of a year, relative to the background stars?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

During which type of lunar eclipse does the Moon remain longest in Earth's shadow?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Where would an observer have to be to see the south celestial pole on the horizon?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

In a penumbral lunar eclipse,

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which way do observers move with respect to the background stars because of the revolution of Earth in its orbit around the Sun?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

From Earth's North Pole,

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Because of precession, how long will it be before the spin axis of Earth points toward the present pole star again?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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By what approximate factor, in scientific notation, is a human being (height about 2 m) larger than the nucleus of a hydrogen atom, or proton (diameter about 10^-15 m) ?

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