Question 1

The largest refracting telescope in the world, financed by a Chicago millionaire in the 1890's, is at the:

Accepted Answer

A)  Lick Observatory 
B)  Yerkes Observatory 
C)  Keck Observatory 
D)  Hale Observatory 
E)  Fraknoi/Morrison/Wolff Observatory 
A)  Lick Observatory 
B)  Yerkes Observatory 
C)  Keck Observatory 
D)  Hale Observatory 
E)  Fraknoi/Morrison/Wolff Observatory

Question 2

In the summer of 1996, the European Space Agency announced that it would be suspending the operations of the International Ultraviolet Explorer. Astronomers who were most unhappy about that announcements were likely to be studying what types of objects?

Accepted Answer

A)  distant galaxies at the limits of the observable universe 
B)  cool stars just being born from cosmic raw material 
C)  very hot stars 
D)  the Moon 
E)  gamma-ray bursts 
A)  distant galaxies at the limits of the observable universe 
B)  cool stars just being born from cosmic raw material 
C)  very hot stars 
D)  the Moon 
E)  gamma-ray bursts

Question 3

Which of the following has a longer integration time (can collect light for a longer period of time) than the human eye?

Accepted Answer

A)  photographic film 
B)  photographic plates 
C)  a CCD (charge coupled device) 
D)  all of the above 
E)  none of the above 
A)  photographic film 
B)  photographic plates 
C)  a CCD (charge coupled device) 
D)  all of the above 
E)  none of the above

Question 4

An astronomer is studying galaxies of stars that are very far away and thus look extremely faint (using visible light). What kind of telescope should she and her graduate students apply for time on?

Accepted Answer

A)  a refractor 
B)  the telescope with the biggest aperture possible 
C)  a telescope with a small aperture but with eyepieces that have good magnification 
D)  a telescope built before 1948 
E)  any telescope will show faint galaxies well; they should just use the one closest to their campus 
A)  a refractor 
B)  the telescope with the biggest aperture possible 
C)  a telescope with a small aperture but with eyepieces that have good magnification 
D)  a telescope built before 1948 
E)  any telescope will show faint galaxies well; they should just use the one closest to their campus

Question 5

Why do astronomers prefer to put infrared telescopes on high-flying airplanes or on satellites in space?

Accepted Answer

A)  because no infrared radiation can exist anywhere near the Earth's surface 
B)  because the water vapor in the lower atmosphere is very good at absorbing infrared 
C)  because high up the Sun's energy can be used to heat the infrared telescope 
D)  because that way they are significantly closer to the objects they observe 
E)  You can't fool me, all infrared telescopes are located on the Earth's surface
Section 6.6: The Future of Large Telescopes 
A)  because no infrared radiation can exist anywhere near the Earth's surface 
B)  because the water vapor in the lower atmosphere is very good at absorbing infrared 
C)  because high up the Sun's energy can be used to heat the infrared telescope 
D)  because that way they are significantly closer to the objects they observe 
E)  You can't fool me, all infrared telescopes are located on the Earth's surface
Section 6.6: The Future of Large Telescopes

The largest refracting telescope in the world, financed by a Chicago millionaire in the 1890's, is at the:

In the summer of 1996, the European Space Agency announced that it would be suspending the operations of the International Ultraviolet Explorer. Astronomers who were most unhappy about that announcements were likely to be studying what types of objects?

Which of the following has a longer integration time (can collect light for a longer period of time) than the human eye?

An astronomer is studying galaxies of stars that are very far away and thus look extremely faint (using visible light). What kind of telescope should she and her graduate students apply for time on?

Why do astronomers prefer to put infrared telescopes on high-flying airplanes or on satellites in space?

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

Exam 6: Astronomical Instruments

The largest refracting telescope in the world, financed by a Chicago millionaire in the 1890's, is at the:

In the summer of 1996, the European Space Agency announced that it would be suspending the operations of the International Ultraviolet Explorer. Astronomers who were most unhappy about that announcements were likely to be studying what types of objects?

Which of the following has a longer integration time (can collect light for a longer period of time) than the human eye?

An astronomer is studying galaxies of stars that are very far away and thus look extremely faint (using visible light). What kind of telescope should she and her graduate students apply for time on?

Why do astronomers prefer to put infrared telescopes on high-flying airplanes or on satellites in space?

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