Unit 1. Test

Question 1

What star has a declination of almost exactly 90 degrees as the “pole” star? Hint: It was the center of the star map

Answer 1

Polaris

Question 2

On what calendar day would the SOUTH Pole have a day of “total darkness”?

Answer 2

June 21st

Question 3

Why is the “peak” of summer in the northern hemisphere usually more than a month after summer solstice?

Answer 3

The water is just warming up and it takes awhile to do so

Question 4

Explain why the moon appears to have “phases” that have nothing to do with shadows being cast by earth.

Answer 4

Because what we see is what is being REFLECTED off of the moon from the sun

Question 5

About how long does it take light to reach us from the next nearest star, Proxima Centauri?

Answer 5

4 light years

Question 6

What would cast a smaller umbra (total shadow), a solar eclipse or a lunar eclipse?

Answer 6

Solar eclipse

Question 7

What is more common to be observed, a total lunar eclipse or a total solar eclipse? Why?

Answer 7

Lunar, more area can see it

Question 8

The distances in our solar system: would you be better to measure them in astronomical units or light
years? Why?

Answer 8

Astronomically, easier numbers for our brain to comprehend

Question 9

Name the eight moon phases in order starting with new moon.

Answer 9

1. New moon
2. Waxing Crescent
3. 1st Quarter
4. Waxing Gibbous
5. Full Moon
6. Waning Gibbous
7. 3rd Quarter
8. Waning Crescent

Question 10

What conditions in our solar system have to be met in order for a total solar eclipse to happen?

Answer 10

Sun, moon, and earth need to be directly lined up

Question 11

__________ measures north and south of the celestial equator in degrees.

Answer 11

Declination

Question 12

What is the term for a 27.5-day month, the length of time for one revolution of the moon around the earth?

Answer 12

Sidereal

Question 13

What percentage of the universe can we directly study by means of direct observation?

Answer 13

4%

Question 14

14. A ______________ day is determined by measuring the length of time from “sunrise” to “sunrise”.

Answer 14

Solar

Question 15

If you measure the length of time it takes the sun to go all the way through the ecliptic, through all 13
constellations, you have measured one _______ year.

Answer 15

Sidereal

Question 16

The measurement east and west on the celestial sphere is called ___________

Answer 16

Right Ascension

Question 17

The 29 days it takes the moon to go through a complete set of phases is called a ____________

Answer 17

Synodic Month

Question 18

The Latin meaning of the word “equinox” is…

Answer 18

Equal Night/Day

Question 19

The Latin meaning of the word “solstice” is…

Answer 19

Sun Stand (still)

Question 20

To spin completely around on one’s own axis is to ____________

Answer 20

Rotate

Question 21

Astronomy is a branch of what larger science?

Answer 21

Physics

Question 22

How long would it take light to reach the earth from the sun?

Answer 22

8 minutes

Question 23

How many days (approximately) does each moon phase last?

Answer 23

3.5 days

Question 24

What phase does the moon have to be in to have a total solar eclipse?

Answer 24

New Moon

Question 25

What’s the difference between a light year and a calendar year?

Answer 25

Light year - distance Calendar year - time

Question 26

What moon phase would most likely rise at noon and set at midnight?

Answer 26

1st Quarter

Question 27

What phase of the moon would be more ideal for observing through a telescope?

Answer 27

Waxing Gibbous

Question 28

What is the name of the closest major galaxy?

Answer 28

Andromeda

Question 29

What is the name of the path of the sun as it travels through the 13 constellations of the zodiac?

Answer 29

Ecliptic

Question 30

What very amazing coincidence is known as the “400 rule”?

Answer 30

The sun is 400x bigger than the moon but the moon is 400x closer than the sun to earth

Question 31

What calendar day would be the “longest” day for us in the northern hemisphere?

Answer 31

June 21st

Question 32

What time of year is the earth technically closest to the sun for us in the northern hemisphere?

Answer 32

January 4-6

Question 33

33. A “tropical” year is the same thing as a _____ year, 365.25 days.

Answer 33

Solar

Question 34

34. The sidereal year is actually ________ longer in time than the solar year.

Answer 34

20 minutes

Question 35

Why can’t we see real pictures of the Milky Way as a spiral?

Answer 35

Our solar system is located in the disc so we can only see where it crosses over and not the whole shape

Question 36

What types of objects did Charles Messier catalogue in his famous Messier catalogue?

Answer 36

Diffuse nebulae, planetary nebulae, open clusters, globular clusters, and galaxies

Question 37

What did Eratosthenes discover in Alexandria around 250 BC?

Answer 37

That the earth is a sphere

Question 38

What date (roughly) would an astronomical calendar start with ideally (it isn’t January 1)?

Answer 38

March 21st

Question 39

Describe what all you can observe during the moment of totality during a total solar eclipse.

Answer 39

360 degree sunset and bright stars and planets

Question 40

The art of using the motion of stars and planets to attempt to predict human behavior is known as…

Answer 40

Astrology

Question 41

When is the next major total solar eclipse in North America?

Answer 41

August 2045

Question 42

Describe the path of totality and maximum length of totality for the next total solar eclipse in North America.

Answer 42

Will cross through Mexico, then through Texas up the east then pass through south Canada. 4 minutes 28 seconds

Question 43

What is meant by the expression that the night sky is a “giant time machine”?

Answer 43

Since light takes so long to reach earth, any light we see has already happened from a couple minutes ago to billions of years ago

Question 44

Roughly how many AUs from the sun is each planet, beginning with Mercury?

Answer 44

Mercury - 0.4 Venus - 0.7 Earth - 1 Mars - 1.5 Jupiter - 5.2 Saturn - 9.6 Uranus - 19.2 Neptune - 30 Pluto - 39.5

Question 45

Describe an “annular eclipse”, and why they sometimes occur.

Answer 45

The "ring of fire," size of moon cannot fully cover the sun