Question 1

In a radio telescope, the role that the mirror plays in visible-light telescopes is played by:

Accepted Answer

A)  a spectrometer 
B)  an interferometer 
C)  computer software 
D)  a special kind of lens 
E)  a large metal dish (antenna) 
A)  a spectrometer 
B)  an interferometer 
C)  computer software 
D)  a special kind of lens 
E)  a large metal dish (antenna)

Question 2

The Chandra Observatory orbiting the Earth is designed to

Accepted Answer

A)  search for infra-red waves from stars that are in the process of being born 
B)  replace the Hubble Space Telescope, with a much larger mirror for collecting visible light 
C)  search for rapidly changing radio signals 
D)  examine sources of cosmic x-rays 
E)  spy on countries in Asia, such as India, China, and Pakistan 
A)  search for infra-red waves from stars that are in the process of being born 
B)  replace the Hubble Space Telescope, with a much larger mirror for collecting visible light 
C)  search for rapidly changing radio signals 
D)  examine sources of cosmic x-rays 
E)  spy on countries in Asia, such as India, China, and Pakistan

Question 3

Your friend, a graduate student in astronomy, is giving you a special tour of the local observatory. You notice that you are viewing the image from the big telescope from underneath the primary mirror; the beam of light has come through a small hole in the main mirror to an eyepiece below. This telescope uses what focusing arrangement?

Accepted Answer

A)  prime focus 
B)  Newtonian focus 
C)  Cassegrain focus 
D)  Galilean focus 
E)  out of focus 
A)  prime focus 
B)  Newtonian focus 
C)  Cassegrain focus 
D)  Galilean focus 
E)  out of focus

Question 4

Our textbook discusses that radio astronomers are building more and more arrays of radio telescopes, where many "dishes" are connected together. What advantage do such arrays have?

Accepted Answer

A)  they can look through clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, which individual dishes can't do 
B)  they can allow us to split the radio waves into a spectrum, which individual dishes can't 
C)  they provide a higher resolution than individual dishes 
D)  they can be built on flat ground, while individual dishes have to built on very tall mountains 
E)  none of the above
Section 6.5: Observations Outside the Earth's Atmosphere 
A)  they can look through clouds in the Earth's atmosphere, which individual dishes can't do 
B)  they can allow us to split the radio waves into a spectrum, which individual dishes can't 
C)  they provide a higher resolution than individual dishes 
D)  they can be built on flat ground, while individual dishes have to built on very tall mountains 
E)  none of the above
Section 6.5: Observations Outside the Earth's Atmosphere

Question 5

The SOFIA Project is

Accepted Answer

A)  a small Lear jet with an 8-inch visible-light telescope on board, designed to search for lost NASA spacecraft 
B)  an x-ray telescope flying many kilometers up (so high that it had to be automated) 
C)  a balloon designed to fly above the ozone layer and search for ultraviolet radiation from space 
D)  an airplane with an infra-red telescope on board designed to fly above much of the water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere 
E)  a NASA aircraft used only by Hollywood movie-makers to teach what it's like in free fall 
A)  a small Lear jet with an 8-inch visible-light telescope on board, designed to search for lost NASA spacecraft 
B)  an x-ray telescope flying many kilometers up (so high that it had to be automated) 
C)  a balloon designed to fly above the ozone layer and search for ultraviolet radiation from space 
D)  an airplane with an infra-red telescope on board designed to fly above much of the water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere 
E)  a NASA aircraft used only by Hollywood movie-makers to teach what it's like in free fall

Question 6

The first person who regularly turned a telescope to astronomical observations (and published his observations) was:

Accepted Answer

A)  Isaac Newton 
B)  Galileo Galilei 
C)  Adam Refractor 
D)  Edwin Hubble 
E)  Karl Jansky 
A)  Isaac Newton 
B)  Galileo Galilei 
C)  Adam Refractor 
D)  Edwin Hubble 
E)  Karl Jansky

Question 7

When an astronomer involved in a research project says he is going to look at the observatory's plate collection, what will he be looking at?

Accepted Answer

A)  a collection of souvenir plates, with painting of other observatories from around the world (astronomers collect these as a hobby) 
B)  a series of metal disks used for changing the aperture of reflecting telescopes 
C)  a series of glass plates, with light-sensitive chemicals on them, on which the appearance of the sky was recorded 
D)  a series of insulated plastic shields, which are used to prevent stray infra-red radiation from the observatory from interfering with observations 
E)  what the special-of-the-day is in the observatory cafeteria 
A)  a collection of souvenir plates, with painting of other observatories from around the world (astronomers collect these as a hobby) 
B)  a series of metal disks used for changing the aperture of reflecting telescopes 
C)  a series of glass plates, with light-sensitive chemicals on them, on which the appearance of the sky was recorded 
D)  a series of insulated plastic shields, which are used to prevent stray infra-red radiation from the observatory from interfering with observations 
E)  what the special-of-the-day is in the observatory cafeteria

Question 8

To break up light into the component colors that it contains, astronomers use a device called:

Accepted Answer

A)  a telescope 
B)  a CCD 
C)  a spectrometer 
D)  Cassegrain splitter 
E)  interferometer array 
A)  a telescope 
B)  a CCD 
C)  a spectrometer 
D)  Cassegrain splitter 
E)  interferometer array

Question 9

Why do telescopes have to have a good motorized drive system to move them quickly and smoothly?

Accepted Answer

A)  because the Earth is rotating, with the telescope attached to it 
B)  because astronomers typically have to look at many objects in the sky in a few minutes 
C)  because all objects in the sky vary in brightness very quickly 
D)  because the telescope can then be moved out from under the clouds to where it is clear 
E)  You can't fool me, telescopes never move; they stay in one position all night 
A)  because the Earth is rotating, with the telescope attached to it 
B)  because astronomers typically have to look at many objects in the sky in a few minutes 
C)  because all objects in the sky vary in brightness very quickly 
D)  because the telescope can then be moved out from under the clouds to where it is clear 
E)  You can't fool me, telescopes never move; they stay in one position all night

Question 10

You are an astronomer who wants to study a faint star in the process of being born, which gives off most of its faint radiation in the infra-red. Which of the following would NOT be a step you would want to take?

Accepted Answer

A)  heat your telescope, so its delicate optics are not cold 
B)  try to have your telescope as high above the layers of water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere as possible 
C)  shield your telescope from the radiation given off by your graduate students 
D)  isolate your telescope in very cold surroundings 
E)  make sure your telescope optics are kept as free of dust as possible 
A)  heat your telescope, so its delicate optics are not cold 
B)  try to have your telescope as high above the layers of water vapor in the Earth's atmosphere as possible 
C)  shield your telescope from the radiation given off by your graduate students 
D)  isolate your telescope in very cold surroundings 
E)  make sure your telescope optics are kept as free of dust as possible

Question 11

When the James Webb Space Telescope is finally launched, what will be its distinguishing characteristic (what about it will really help astronomers)?

Accepted Answer

A)  it will observe gamma-rays from the most energetic events in the universe 
B)  it will be the same size and design as the Hubble Space Telescope, which is wearing out 
C)  it will have the largest mirror ever put into space for observing faint objects 
D)  it will allow us to take pictures with the same resolution as a radio dish 
E)  it will be in low Earth orbit, and thus easy for astronauts to repair 
A)  it will observe gamma-rays from the most energetic events in the universe 
B)  it will be the same size and design as the Hubble Space Telescope, which is wearing out 
C)  it will have the largest mirror ever put into space for observing faint objects 
D)  it will allow us to take pictures with the same resolution as a radio dish 
E)  it will be in low Earth orbit, and thus easy for astronauts to repair

Question 12

Which of the following major telescopes was not located in space?

Accepted Answer

A)  the Hubble Space Telescope 
B)  the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory 
C)  the International Ultraviolet Explorer 
D)  the Keck Telescope 
E)  the Roentgensatellit (ROSAT) x-ray telescope 
A)  the Hubble Space Telescope 
B)  the Compton Gamma-ray Observatory 
C)  the International Ultraviolet Explorer 
D)  the Keck Telescope 
E)  the Roentgensatellit (ROSAT) x-ray telescope

Question 13

Astronomical observatories have been available since ancient times, and many cultures set aside special sites for astronomical observations. The thing modern observatories have that was missing from these older observatories until about 1610 was:

Accepted Answer

A)  a dark site, where lights did not get in the way 
B)  graduate students or other assistants for sharing the astronomer's work 
C)  a method of keeping good records 
D)  a way of measuring from what general direction in the sky a beam of light was coming 
E)  telescopes 
A)  a dark site, where lights did not get in the way 
B)  graduate students or other assistants for sharing the astronomer's work 
C)  a method of keeping good records 
D)  a way of measuring from what general direction in the sky a beam of light was coming 
E)  telescopes

Question 14

Why is an image recorded with a CCD better for astronomers than an image recorded on photographic film or plates?

Accepted Answer

A)  CCD's are more efficient; more of the light is recorded and not wasted 
B)  CCD's allow more accurate measurements of the brightness of each part of the image 
C)  CCD's have digital output that can go directly to a computer 
D)  all of the above 
E)  none of the above 
A)  CCD's are more efficient; more of the light is recorded and not wasted 
B)  CCD's allow more accurate measurements of the brightness of each part of the image 
C)  CCD's have digital output that can go directly to a computer 
D)  all of the above 
E)  none of the above

Question 15

A new technique called adaptive optics allows astronomers to:

Accepted Answer

A)  change the eyepieces of their telescopes much more quickly than ever before 
B)  compensate for changes in the Earth's atmosphere and achieve better resolution 
C)  increase the aperture of their telescopes by connecting several telescopes 
D)  change the region of the electro-magnetic spectrum in which their telescope is able to detect radiation 
E)  use the observatory shop to make better eye-glasses for their graduate students 
A)  change the eyepieces of their telescopes much more quickly than ever before 
B)  compensate for changes in the Earth's atmosphere and achieve better resolution 
C)  increase the aperture of their telescopes by connecting several telescopes 
D)  change the region of the electro-magnetic spectrum in which their telescope is able to detect radiation 
E)  use the observatory shop to make better eye-glasses for their graduate students

Question 16

When astronomers do radar astronomy, they

Accepted Answer

A)  look for radar beams from civilizations on other planets 
B)  they bounce a radar beam off the surface of solid objects in our solar system 
C)  they send out radar waves that can eventually reach and measure other galaxies 
D)  they send information from one telescope to another on Earth using radar waves 
E)  they try to avoid getting speeding tickets on their way hope from the observatory 
A)  look for radar beams from civilizations on other planets 
B)  they bounce a radar beam off the surface of solid objects in our solar system 
C)  they send out radar waves that can eventually reach and measure other galaxies 
D)  they send information from one telescope to another on Earth using radar waves 
E)  they try to avoid getting speeding tickets on their way hope from the observatory

Question 17

The largest visible-light telescopes in the world use what device to collect as much light as possible before the light is brought to a focus (to act as the "light bucket")?

Accepted Answer

A)  a lens 
B)  a spectroscope 
C)  a CCD 
D)  a mirror 
E)  a valley in Puerto Rico 
A)  a lens 
B)  a spectroscope 
C)  a CCD 
D)  a mirror 
E)  a valley in Puerto Rico

Question 18

What was the major problem with the Hubble Space Telescope when it was first launched into orbit?

Accepted Answer

A)  its antenna wouldn't open, so the data could not be sent back to Earth 
B)  it was in the wrong orbit, so it dipped down into the Earth's thicker atmosphere regularly 
C)  its spectroscope broke during the launch 
D)  the mirror's shape was slightly wrong, so all the light did not come to a single focus 
E)  the mirror cover was stuck in the "partly on" position, making part of the mirror not usable 
A)  its antenna wouldn't open, so the data could not be sent back to Earth 
B)  it was in the wrong orbit, so it dipped down into the Earth's thicker atmosphere regularly 
C)  its spectroscope broke during the launch 
D)  the mirror's shape was slightly wrong, so all the light did not come to a single focus 
E)  the mirror cover was stuck in the "partly on" position, making part of the mirror not usable

Question 19

The size of the device that collects radiation (such as light) is called a telescope's:

Accepted Answer

A)  magnification 
B)  resolution 
C)  aperture 
D)  focal width 
E)  Galilean criterion 
A)  magnification 
B)  resolution 
C)  aperture 
D)  focal width 
E)  Galilean criterion

Question 20

A very wealthy donor decides to give a large sum of money to your college or university to build the world's largest visible-light gathering telescope. From an astronomical perspective, where would be the best location to put such a telescope?

Accepted Answer

A)  in a dark spot right on the campus 
B)  on the west coast of the U.S. very close to sea level (a location like Seattle, for example) 
C)  close to a large city where there are many astronomers to use it 
D)  on a tall, dry mountain peak 
E)  Bayonne, New Jersey 
A)  in a dark spot right on the campus 
B)  on the west coast of the U.S. very close to sea level (a location like Seattle, for example) 
C)  close to a large city where there are many astronomers to use it 
D)  on a tall, dry mountain peak 
E)  Bayonne, New Jersey

Exam 6: Astronomical Instruments

In a radio telescope, the role that the mirror plays in visible-light telescopes is played by:

The Chandra Observatory orbiting the Earth is designed to

Our textbook discusses that radio astronomers are building more and more arrays of radio telescopes, where many "dishes" are connected together. What advantage do such arrays have?

The SOFIA Project is

The first person who regularly turned a telescope to astronomical observations (and published his observations) was:

When an astronomer involved in a research project says he is going to look at the observatory's plate collection, what will he be looking at?

To break up light into the component colors that it contains, astronomers use a device called:

Why do telescopes have to have a good motorized drive system to move them quickly and smoothly?

You are an astronomer who wants to study a faint star in the process of being born, which gives off most of its faint radiation in the infra-red. Which of the following would NOT be a step you would want to take?

When the James Webb Space Telescope is finally launched, what will be its distinguishing characteristic (what about it will really help astronomers)?

Which of the following major telescopes was not located in space?

Astronomical observatories have been available since ancient times, and many cultures set aside special sites for astronomical observations. The thing modern observatories have that was missing from these older observatories until about 1610 was:

Why is an image recorded with a CCD better for astronomers than an image recorded on photographic film or plates?

A new technique called adaptive optics allows astronomers to:

When astronomers do radar astronomy, they

The largest visible-light telescopes in the world use what device to collect as much light as possible before the light is brought to a focus (to act as the "light bucket")?

What was the major problem with the Hubble Space Telescope when it was first launched into orbit?

The size of the device that collects radiation (such as light) is called a telescope's:

A very wealthy donor decides to give a large sum of money to your college or university to build the world's largest visible-light gathering telescope. From an astronomical perspective, where would be the best location to put such a telescope?

Science and the Universe: a Brief Tour

Observing the Sky: the Birth of Astronomy

Orbits and Gravity

Earth, Moon, and Sky

Radiation and Spectra

Other Worlds: an Introduction to the Solar System

Earth As a Planet

Cratered Worlds: the Moon and Mercury

Earthlike Planets: Venus and Mars

The Giant Planets

Rings, Moons, and Pluto

Comets and Asteroids: Debris of the Solar System

Cosmic Samples and the Origin of the Solar System

The Sun: a Garden-Variety Star

The Sun: a Nuclear Powerhouse

Analyzing Starlight

The Stars: a Celestial Census

Celestial Distances

Between the Stars

The Birth of Stars and the Discovery of Planets Outside the Solar System

Stars From Adolescence to Old Age

The Death of Stars

Black Holes and Curved Space-Time

The Milky Way Galaxy

Galaxies

Active Galaxies, Quasars, and Supermassive Black Holes

The Evolution and Distribution of Galaxies

The Big Bang

Life in the Universe

Filters