Question 1

If you are located in the Northern Hemisphere,which of the following correctly describes a relationship between the sky and your location?

Accepted Answer

A) The altitude of the north celestial pole equals your latitude. 
B) The altitude of the celestial equator equals your latitude. 
C) The altitude of the north celestial pole equals your longitude. 
D) The longitude of the north celestial pole is circumpolar,and therefore crosses your zenith at the meridian. 
A) The altitude of the north celestial pole equals your latitude. 
B) The altitude of the celestial equator equals your latitude. 
C) The altitude of the north celestial pole equals your longitude. 
D) The longitude of the north celestial pole is circumpolar,and therefore crosses your zenith at the meridian.

Question 2

Ashen light (or earthshine)is

Accepted Answer

A) sunlight reflected by Earth that illuminates the "dark" portion of the Moon. 
B) the sunlight that shines on the face of the Moon that we never see. 
C) the light from the Moon that illuminates Earth's surface at night. 
D) the light we see at dawn just before the Sun rises. 
E) the light we see at dusk just after the Sun sets. 
A) sunlight reflected by Earth that illuminates the "dark" portion of the Moon. 
B) the sunlight that shines on the face of the Moon that we never see. 
C) the light from the Moon that illuminates Earth's surface at night. 
D) the light we see at dawn just before the Sun rises. 
E) the light we see at dusk just after the Sun sets.

Question 3

When are eclipse seasons?

Accepted Answer

A) in the spring and fall 
B) in the summer and winter 
C) when the nodes of the Moon's orbit are nearly aligned with the Sun 
D) when Earth and the Sun are aligned with one another 
E) during an eclipse 
A) in the spring and fall 
B) in the summer and winter 
C) when the nodes of the Moon's orbit are nearly aligned with the Sun 
D) when Earth and the Sun are aligned with one another 
E) during an eclipse

Question 4

If we have a new Moon today,when we will have the next full Moon?

Accepted Answer

A) in about 2 weeks 
B) in about 1 week 
C) in about a month 
D) in about 6 months 
A) in about 2 weeks 
B) in about 1 week 
C) in about a month 
D) in about 6 months

Question 5

What conditions are required for a solar eclipse?

Accepted Answer

A) The phase of the Moon must be new,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun. 
B) The phase of the Moon must be full,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun. 
C) The phase of the Moon can be new or full,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun. 
D) The phase of the Moon must be new,and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic. 
E) The phase of the Moon must be full,and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic. 
A) The phase of the Moon must be new,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun. 
B) The phase of the Moon must be full,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun. 
C) The phase of the Moon can be new or full,and the nodes of the Moon's orbit must be nearly aligned with Earth and the Sun. 
D) The phase of the Moon must be new,and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic. 
E) The phase of the Moon must be full,and the Moon's orbital plane must lie in the ecliptic.

Question 6

In South Africa,it's usually quite warm around the time of the Northern Hemisphere winter solstice and quite cool around the time of the summer solstice.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

The Big Dipper will look different 100,000 years from now than it does today.

Accepted Answer

A) Earth rotates once each day. 
B) Earth revolves around the Sun once each year. 
C) The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years. 
D) Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood 
E) The universe is expanding. 
A) Earth rotates once each day. 
B) Earth revolves around the Sun once each year. 
C) The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years. 
D) Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood 
E) The universe is expanding.

Question 8

For most of history,the lack of observable stellar parallax was interpreted to mean that

Accepted Answer

A) stars must all lie at the same distance from Earth,on the celestial sphere. 
B) stars were too far away for parallax to be measured with available technology. 
C) Earth is stationary at the center of the universe. 
D) Galileo's theories of the universe were essentially correct. 
A) stars must all lie at the same distance from Earth,on the celestial sphere. 
B) stars were too far away for parallax to be measured with available technology. 
C) Earth is stationary at the center of the universe. 
D) Galileo's theories of the universe were essentially correct.

Question 9

During the period each year when we see Mars undergoing apparent retrograde motion in our sky,what is really going on in space?

Accepted Answer

A) Mars is moving around the Sun in the opposite direction from which Earth is moving around the Sun. 
B) Earth and Mars are getting closer together. 
C) Earth is catching up with and passing by Mars in their respective orbits. 
D) Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun. 
A) Mars is moving around the Sun in the opposite direction from which Earth is moving around the Sun. 
B) Earth and Mars are getting closer together. 
C) Earth is catching up with and passing by Mars in their respective orbits. 
D) Earth and Mars are on opposite sides of the Sun.

Question 10

In which direction does a quarter Moon rise?

Accepted Answer

A) north 
B) south 
C) east 
D) west 
E) The Moon becomes a quarter Moon only after it has risen and changed phase. 
A) north 
B) south 
C) east 
D) west 
E) The Moon becomes a quarter Moon only after it has risen and changed phase.

Question 11

Which of the following correctly describes the meridian in your sky?

Accepted Answer

A) a half-circle extending from your horizon due east,through your zenith,to your horizon due west 
B) a half-circle extending from your horizon due north,through your zenith,to your horizon due south 
C) a half-circle extending from your horizon due east,through the north celestial pole,to your horizon due west 
D) the point directly over your head 
E) the boundary between the portion of the celestial sphere you can see at any moment and the portion that you cannot see 
A) a half-circle extending from your horizon due east,through your zenith,to your horizon due west 
B) a half-circle extending from your horizon due north,through your zenith,to your horizon due south 
C) a half-circle extending from your horizon due east,through the north celestial pole,to your horizon due west 
D) the point directly over your head 
E) the boundary between the portion of the celestial sphere you can see at any moment and the portion that you cannot see

Question 12

Suppose you lived on the Moon near the center of the face that we see from Earth.At what phase of the Moon would you see sunset? What phase of Earth would you see at this time?

Accepted Answer

Sunset would occur at the Moon

Question 13

What would you see if you were on the Moon during a lunar eclipse?

Accepted Answer

During a lunar eclipse,you wou

Question 14

Which of the following statements about circumpolar stars is true at all latitudes?

Accepted Answer

A) They are the stars close to the north celestial pole. 
B) They always remain above your horizon. 
C) They make relatively small circles,traveling clockwise around the north celestial pole. 
D) Like all other stars,they rise in the east and set in the west. 
E) You cannot see them from the Southern Hemisphere. 
A) They are the stars close to the north celestial pole. 
B) They always remain above your horizon. 
C) They make relatively small circles,traveling clockwise around the north celestial pole. 
D) Like all other stars,they rise in the east and set in the west. 
E) You cannot see them from the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 15

Suppose you live on the Moon.How long is a day (i.e. ,from sunrise to sunrise)?

Accepted Answer

A) 23 hours 56 minutes 
B) 24 hours 
C) a lunar month 
D) a year 
E) about 18 years 
A) 23 hours 56 minutes 
B) 24 hours 
C) a lunar month 
D) a year 
E) about 18 years

Question 16

If the Moon is rising at midnight,the phase of the Moon must be

Accepted Answer

A) full. 
B) first quarter. 
C) third quarter. 
D) waning crescent. 
E) waxing crescent. 
A) full. 
B) first quarter. 
C) third quarter. 
D) waning crescent. 
E) waxing crescent.

Question 17

If the Moon is setting at 6 A.M. ,the phase of the Moon must be

Accepted Answer

A) first quarter. 
B) third quarter. 
C) full. 
D) new. 
E) waning crescent. 
A) first quarter. 
B) third quarter. 
C) full. 
D) new. 
E) waning crescent.

Question 18

What is a circumpolar star?

Accepted Answer

A) a star that is close to the north celestial pole 
B) a star that is close to the south celestial pole 
C) a star that always remains above your horizon and appears to rotate around the celestial pole 
D) a star that makes a daily circle around the celestial sphere 
E) a star that is visible from the Arctic or Antarctic circles 
A) a star that is close to the north celestial pole 
B) a star that is close to the south celestial pole 
C) a star that always remains above your horizon and appears to rotate around the celestial pole 
D) a star that makes a daily circle around the celestial sphere 
E) a star that is visible from the Arctic or Antarctic circles

Question 19

The Moon rises in the east and sets in the west.

Accepted Answer

A) Earth rotates once each day. 
B) Earth revolves around the Sun once each year. 
C) The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years. 
D) Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood 
E) The universe is expanding. 
A) Earth rotates once each day. 
B) Earth revolves around the Sun once each year. 
C) The direction of Earth's axis in space precesses with a period of 26,000 years. 
D) Stars appear to move randomly in the local solar neighborhood 
E) The universe is expanding.

Question 20

Which of the following statements about stellar parallax is true?

Accepted Answer

A) We observe all stars to exhibit at least a slight amount of parallax. 
B) Stellar parallax was first observed by ancient Greek astronomers. 
C) The amount of parallax we see depends on how fast a star is moving relative to us. 
D) It takes at least 10 years of observation to measure a star's parallax. 
E) The closer a star is to us,the more parallax it exhibits. 
A) We observe all stars to exhibit at least a slight amount of parallax. 
B) Stellar parallax was first observed by ancient Greek astronomers. 
C) The amount of parallax we see depends on how fast a star is moving relative to us. 
D) It takes at least 10 years of observation to measure a star's parallax. 
E) The closer a star is to us,the more parallax it exhibits.

Exam 2: Discovering the Universe for Yourself

If you are located in the Northern Hemisphere,which of the following correctly describes a relationship between the sky and your location?

Ashen light (or earthshine)is

When are eclipse seasons?

If we have a new Moon today,when we will have the next full Moon?

What conditions are required for a solar eclipse?

In South Africa,it's usually quite warm around the time of the Northern Hemisphere winter solstice and quite cool around the time of the summer solstice.

The Big Dipper will look different 100,000 years from now than it does today.

For most of history,the lack of observable stellar parallax was interpreted to mean that

During the period each year when we see Mars undergoing apparent retrograde motion in our sky,what is really going on in space?

In which direction does a quarter Moon rise?

Which of the following correctly describes the meridian in your sky?

Suppose you lived on the Moon near the center of the face that we see from Earth.At what phase of the Moon would you see sunset? What phase of Earth would you see at this time?

What would you see if you were on the Moon during a lunar eclipse?

Which of the following statements about circumpolar stars is true at all latitudes?

Suppose you live on the Moon.How long is a day (i.e. ,from sunrise to sunrise)?

If the Moon is rising at midnight,the phase of the Moon must be

If the Moon is setting at 6 A.M. ,the phase of the Moon must be

What is a circumpolar star?

The Moon rises in the east and sets in the west.

Which of the following statements about stellar parallax is true?

A Modern View of the Universe

The Science of Astronomy

Making Sense of the Universe: Understanding Motion, Energy, and Gravity

Light and Matter: Reading Messages from the Cosmos

Telescopes: Portals of Discovery

Our Planetary System

Formation of the Solar System

Planetary Geology: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds

Planetary Atmospheres: Earth and the Other Terrestrial Worlds

Jovian Planet Systems

Asteroids, Comets, and Dwarf Planets: Their Nature, Orbits, and Impacts

Other Planetary Systems: The New Science of Distant Worlds

Our Star

Surveying the Stars

Star Birth

Star Stuff

The Bizarre Stellar Graveyard

Our Galaxy

Galaxies and the Foundations of Modern Cosmology

Galaxy Evolution

The Birth of the Universe

Dark Matter, Dark Energy, and the Fate of the Universe

Life in the Universe

Celestial Timekeeping and Navigation

Space and Time

Spacetime and Gravity

Building Blocks of the Universe

Filters