Deck 1: Discovering the Night Sky

Question 1

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

A) Betelgeuse.
B) Vega.
C) Pollux.
D) Polaris.

Answer 1

Vega.

Question 2

An asterism is:

A) exactly the same thing as a constellation.
B) a group of stars that have planets orbiting around them.
C) a pattern of relatively bright stars.
D) the remnant of an exploded massive star.

Answer 2

a pattern of relatively bright stars.

Question 3

If you face Polaris,the North Star,you are facing north; therefore:

A) east is to your right and west is to your left, but only if you are in the northern hemisphere.
B) east is to your right and west is to your left, whether you are in the northern hemisphere or not.
C) west is to your right and east is to your left, but only if you are in the northern hemisphere.
D) west is to your right and east is to your left, whether you are in the northern hemisphere or not.

Answer 3

east is to your right and west is to your left, whether you are in the northern hemisphere or not.

Question 4

If you follow Orion's belt as it slopes down to the left,the first bright star you come to is:

A) Spica, in Virgo.
B) Polaris, the North Star.
C) Sirius, in Canis Major.
D) Vega, in Lyra.

Question 5

If you follow the arc of the handle of the Big Dipper away from the dipper,the first moderately bright star you come to is:

A) Polaris, the North Star.
B) Spica, in Virgo.
C) Arcturus, in Boötes.
D) Vega, in Lyra.

Question 6

The bright star at the base of the backward question mark that forms the head of Leo,the Lion,is:

A) Arcturus.
B) Regulus.
C) Rigel.
D) Fomalhaut.

Question 7

The constellations:

A) are 88 in number and cover the entire sky.
B) that the ancients imagined are constantly being augmented by newly invented constellations, as new stars are always being discovered.
C) are of historical interest only and play no role at all in modern astronomy.
D) consist of groups of stars that are all about the same distance from us.

Question 8

The bright stars Vega,Deneb,and Altair form:

A) the summer triangle.
B) the winter triangle.
C) the Big Dipper.
D) Orion, the Hunter.

Question 9

The brightest star in the night sky is:

A) Polaris.
B) Betelgeuse.
C) Rigel.
D) Sirius.

Question 10

Polaris is the name for the bright star almost directly in line with the north polar axis of Earth.What is the name of the bright star almost directly in line with the south polar axis of Earth?

A) Fomalhaut
B) Canopus
C) Alpha Centauri
D) There is no bright star almost directly in line with Earth's south polar axis.

Question 11

The constellation Orion is:

A) a pattern of stars commonly seen to depict an ancient hunter.
B) an entire region of the sky bounded by Gemini, Taurus, Eridanus, Lepus, and Monoceros.
C) one of 125 regions into which the entire sky is divided.
D) an asterism.

Question 12

The system of declination of right ascension is similar to the system of latitude and longitude used on the surface of Earth.In the Earth system,the zero of longitude is called the:

A) Prime Meridian.
B) international date line.
C) Great Circle.
D) terminator line.

Question 13

Are the constellations seasonal?

A) No. If you wait long enough, you can see all the constellations on any clear night of the year.
B) Yes. On a summer night, all the constellations you can see are different from the constellations you can see on a winter night.
C) Yes. On a summer night, many of the constellations you can see are different from the constellations you can see on a winter night. But there are some constellations you can see all year long.
D) Yes. As the year progresses, the constellations change their positions with respect to each other, so every night brings a different mixture of summer and winter constellations.

Question 14

If you follow a line through the "pointer stars" (the two stars in the bowl of the Big Dipper farthest from the handle)away from the open end of the dipper,the first moderately bright star you come to is:

A) Polaris, the North Star.
B) Spica, in Virgo.
C) Arcturus, in Boötes.
D) Vega, in Lyra.

Question 15

How many constellations are there in modern-day usage by astronomers?

A) 52
B) 88
C) 125
D) None. Constellations have no place in modern-day astronomy.

Question 16

If the stars Polaris and Arcturus are seen to be 71° apart,as shown in Figure 1-3 in Comins,Discovering the Essential Universe,6th ed.,how far away from Polaris is the closest star in Ursa Major?

A) 2.5°
B) 25°
C) 7.1°
D) 250°

Question 17

The constellation whose stars are used as pointers to the north celestial pole in the northern hemisphere at this time in history is:

A) Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, containing the bright star Polaris.
B) Leo, the Lion, containing the bright star Regulus.
C) Boötes, the Herdsman, containing the bright star Arcturus.
D) Ursa Major, the Big Dipper.

Question 18

In modern astronomy,the constellations are:

A) specific patterns of stars that point to certain directions that are useful for navigation.
B) 13 specific regions of stars through which the planets and Moon appear to move in our sky.
C) a small number of well-defined and separate groups of stars in our sky.
D) 88 non-overlapping sky regions, covering the whole sky.

Question 19

The constellation whose stars are used as pointers to the north celestial pole in the northern hemisphere is:

A) Leo, the Lion, containing the bright star Regulus.
B) Ursa Major, the Big Dipper.
C) Ursa Minor, the Little Bear, containing the bright star Polaris.
D) Boötes, the Herdsman, containing the bright star Arcturus.

Question 20

If there are about 6000 stars in the entire sky that can be seen by the unaided human eye,about how many stars would be seen at a particular instant on a given dark night from a single location with an uninterrupted distant horizon?

A) 3000
B) 6000, of course
C) only a small fraction of the 6000, say 1000, because the rest are hidden by Earth
D) It depends on the observer's latitude; observers at the poles will see 6000, while equatorial observers will see only one-half of this number, or 3000.

Question 21

Which of the following lines or points is always directly over your head,no matter where on Earth you go?

A) the celestial equator
B) the ecliptic
C) the zenith
D) 90° north declination

Question 22

How much of the overall sky is north of the celestial equator?

A) less than one-half because of the tilt of the equator to the ecliptic plane
B) more than one-half because of the precession of the poles
C) exactly one-half
D) all of it, by definition

Question 23

Which of the following statements CORRECTLY describes the relationship between stars and constellations?

A) Only stars close to the ecliptic (Earth's orbital plane) are located in constellations.
B) Every star is located in a constellation.
C) Only the brighter stars are in constellations.
D) Only those stars that were visible to the ancient Greeks are located in constellations.

Question 24

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

A) precession
B) elongation angle
C) declination
D) right ascension

Question 25

Which of the following directions remains fixed in the sky relative to an observer"s horizon?

A) the direction toward the Sun at noon, over one year
B) the autumnal equinox
C) the zenith
D) the direction toward the Moon at noon, over one month

Question 26

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

A) declination
B) elongation angle
C) precession
D) right ascension

Question 27

From any location on Earth,the zenith defines a direction:

A) vertically above the North Pole.
B) vertically above an observer.
C) toward the Sun at noon.
D) vertically above a point on the equator.

Question 28

If a modern astronomer describes a faint star as being in the constellation Cygnus,the Swan,you know that the star is:

A) somewhere within a particular region of sky having definite boundaries.
B) inside our solar system.
C) in a distant galaxy located in a particular direction from Earth.
D) one of a set of stars that make up a particular "picture," in this case a swan, in the sky.

Question 29

Right ascension of a star is a measure of:

A) the time of its rising in the eastern sky.
B) its position above the observer's horizon, measured from the horizon.
C) its position north or south of the celestial equator, along a great circle passing through the north and south celestial poles.
D) the great circle joining north and south celestial poles upon which it is located, the position of which is measured along the celestial equator.

Question 30

The difference in declination angles between the north and south celestial poles is:

A) variable, depending on the season.
B) 23.5°.
C) 90°.
D) 180°.

Question 31

What is the equivalent angle along the celestial equator of 1 hour in the right ascension coordinate direction?

A) 30°
B) variable, depending on the declination of the star, but not greater than 15°
C) 1°
D) 15°

Question 32

Two celestial coordinates that together describe a star's position precisely in our sky are:

A) longitude and latitude.
B) sidereal time and latitude.
C) right ascension and declination.
D) right ascension and sidereal time.

Question 33

Which of the following directions does NOT always remain fixed in place relative to an observer's horizon?

A) one of the points where the celestial equator contacts the horizon
B) the summer solstice
C) the zenith
D) the north celestial pole

Question 34

If a star is described as being in the constellation Leo,a modern astronomer knows that it is:

A) one of a few individual bright stars making up a crude picture (of a lion) in the sky.
B) in a specific region of the sky bounded by definite lines of right ascension and declination.
C) somewhere within the image of a lion in the sky, which itself is outlined by bright stars.
D) somewhere in a particular region of the sky, having definite boundaries.

Question 35

The boundaries of the 88 constellations were:

A) established in antiquity.
B) established in the 1700s.
C) established in the 1800s.
D) not defined until the 1900s.

Question 36

The zero point of the celestial coordinate known as right ascension (RA)is defined to be the:

A) intersection of the Milky Way with the celestial equator.
B) point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving northward in its path across the sky.
C) point where the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving southward in its path across the sky.
D) intersection of the celestial equator with the projection of Earth's equator on the sky.

Question 37

The declination of a star in the sky is defined as the angle between the:

A) position of the center of the Galaxy and the star, measured along the galactic plane.
B) celestial equator and the star, measured along a great circle passing through both celestial poles.
C) Sun and the star, measured along the ecliptic plane.
D) great circle passing through the star and both celestial poles and the equivalent great circle through the vernal equinox, measured along the celestial equator.

Question 38

If you point toward the zenith today and point there again 45 days later,you will have pointed twice in the same direction relative to:

A) your horizon.
B) the Sun.
C) the Moon.
D) the fixed stars.

Question 39

Which of the following points remains fixed in the sky relative to an observer's horizon over a time scale of 100 years?

A) the direction to a distant star (e.g., Betelgeuse, in Orion)
B) the north celestial pole
C) the winter solstice
D) the vernal equinox

Question 40

Over what typical time scale will the particular pattern of stars in a specific constellation appear to change from our view on Earth because of celestial motions?

A) thousands of years because of motions of individual stars
B) millions of years because stars move very slowly with respect to each other
C) a few hours because of Earth's rotation
D) a year because of Earth's orbital motion

Question 41

While you are observing during the course of a night,which of the following does NOT change?

A) the star at your zenith
B) the declination of a particular star
C) the altitude of a particular star
D) the azimuth of a particular star

Question 42

If we could watch the Sun moving day by day against the background stars,it would follow:

A) the ecliptic.
B) no specific or fixed path because Earth's tilt axis varies through the year, although it would remain within the zodiac.
C) the celestial equator.
D) a great circle crossing the celestial equator at right angles.

Question 43

The apparent annual path of the Sun on the celestial sphere is called the:

A) celestial equator.
B) ecliptic.
C) Tropic of Capricorn.
D) solar orbit.

Question 44

The angle between an observer's horizon and the north celestial pole is governed by:

A) longitude.
B) local time.
C) latitude.
D) sidereal time.

Question 45

A comet that is moving southward from the north celestial pole toward the equator can be described as having its:

A) declination decrease with time.
B) right ascension decrease with time.
C) right ascension increase with time.
D) declination increase with time.

Question 46

The celestial equator and the ecliptic:

A) are parallel paths across the sky and thus never intersect.
B) intersect at two points because they are perpendicular to each other.
C) intersect because they are inclined at an angle of 23.5° to each other.
D) lie on top of each other because they are on the same path across the sky.

Question 47

The plane in which Earth orbits the Sun is called the:

A) celestial orbit.
B) celestial sphere.
C) geodesic.
D) ecliptic.

Question 48

The nightly motion of objects across our sky from horizon to horizon is caused by the:

A) motion of the solar system around the Galaxy.
B) revolution of Earth around the Sun.
C) rotation of the whole celestial sphere of stars around the fixed Earth.
D) rotation of Earth on its axis.

Question 49

The plane of the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator:

A) everywhere because these are two different names for the same plane.
B) at two points, the summer and winter solstices.
C) at two points, the vernal and autumnal equinoxes.
D) along the Prime Meridian.

Question 50

When is the Sun on the celestial equator and the ecliptic at the same time?

A) never
B) always
C) only at the equinoxes
D) only during a solar eclipse

Question 51

The celestial coordinate system of declination and right ascension:

A) can be used to assign coordinates to any direction in the sky.
B) is an extension of the latitude-longitude system used on Earth. The celestial equator is an extension of Earth's equator, and the location for the zero of right ascension is an extension of the Prime Meridian through Greenwich, England.
C) rotates along with Earth.
D) is centered at the Sun rather than at Earth.

Question 52

For an observer at a fixed location on Earth,the angle between the north celestial pole and an observer's horizon depends on the:

A) observer's longitude (east or west of Greenwich).
B) time of day.
C) time of year.
D) observer's latitude (north or south of the equator).

Question 53

The elevation angle between the northern horizon of a fixed observer and the north celestial pole is:

A) equal to the right ascension of the vernal equinox.
B) equal to the observer's longitude.
C) a variable value, depending on the time of year.
D) equal to the observer's latitude.

Question 54

The celestial equator is defined as the:

A) line in the sky that is perpendicular to Earth's spin axis.
B) line traced in the sky by the Moon each month against the background stars.
C) line traced in the sky by the Sun over one year against the background stars.
D) band of constellations through which the Sun and Moon move in our sky.

Question 55

If Earth's revolution around the Sun were reversed in direction,you would find that:

A) the constellations of the northern and southern hemispheres would be reversed.
B) the stars would set about four minutes earlier each day than they did the day before.
C) the summer and winter constellations would be reversed.
D) stars would rise in the west and set in the east.

Question 56

The ecliptic can be defined as the:

A) extension of Earth's equator onto the sky.
B) plane that is perpendicular to Earth's spin axis.
C) path traced out by the Moon in our sky in one month against the background stars.
D) path traced out by the Sun in our sky over one year against the background stars.

Question 57

From a location in the northern hemisphere,the pole star always appears at an angle above the northern horizon equal to:

A) 180° plus the longitude of the location.
B) the latitude of the location.
C) the longitude of the location.
D) 90° minus the latitude of the location.

Question 58

If Earth "stood up straight" on the ecliptic instead of being tilted 23.5°,the Sun would be on the celestial equator and on the ecliptic:

A) never.
B) all the time.
C) only at the equinoxes.
D) only during a solar eclipse.

Question 59

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

A) west
B) northwest
C) southwest
D) east

Question 60

The right ascension of a star is one coordinate of its position,measured along the:

A) observer's meridian.
B) celestial equator.
C) observer's horizon.
D) ecliptic.

Question 61

As Earth rotates,the point above the head of a person standing on the equator (the person's zenith)sweeps out:

A) along the celestial equator.
B) a variable path across the sky within the region of the zodiac, crossing the celestial equator at some point.
C) along the ecliptic plane.
D) a great circle path between the North and South Poles.

Question 62

Over the duration of a given night,some stars will be observed to pass through (from one side to the other of)the:

A) zodiac.
B) celestial equator.
C) zenith.
D) vernal equinox.

Question 63

The pattern of stars that is visible from one position on Earth gradually shifts from east to west across the sky over one night.This shift is caused by:

A) the motion of Earth around the Sun.
B) the rotation of Earth about its own north-south axis.
C) individual motions of the stars themselves with respect to the more distant galaxies.
D) precession of the spin axis of Earth.

Question 64

Which way are you moving with respect to the stars because of the rotation of Earth?

A) westward
B) southward
C) northward
D) eastward

Question 65

You measure the angle made by stars as they rise and set.As you move northward from the south pole,this angle:

A) remains the same.
B) decreases from 90° to zero.
C) decreases from zero to 90°.
D) increases from zero to 90° at the equator and then decreases.

Question 66

Viewed from 45° north latitude,stars appear to rise at an angle of 45° with respect to the eastern horizon.If you view from 50° north latitude,the angle at which stars rise with respect to the eastern horizon will be:

A) 35°.
B) 40°.
C) 50°.
D) 55°.

Question 67

If you are at the equator,how would you describe the angle with the horizon made by stars as they rise and set?

A) It is perpendicular to the horizon.
B) It is variable but never more than 23.5°.
C) It is variable but never more than 66.5°.
D) The stars do not rise and set when viewed from the equator but instead move parallel to the horizon.

Question 68

Which way are you moving with respect to the background stars because of the revolution of Earth in its orbit around the Sun?

A) westward
B) northeastward
C) northwestward
D) eastward

Question 69

The Sun rises due east in the sky when viewed from any site on Earth's equator:

A) at midsummer and midwinter.
B) every day of the year.
C) on the first day of summer and the first day of winter.
D) only on the first day of spring and the first day of fall.

Question 70

If you are at the north pole,how would you describe the angle with the horizon made by stars as they rise and set?

A) It is perpendicular to the horizon.
B) It is variable but never more than 23.5°.
C) It is variable but never more than 66.5°.
D) The stars do not rise and set when viewed from the north pole but instead move parallel to the horizon.

Question 71

Over the course of one night,an observer at any given location on Earth sees the constellations gradually shift across the sky from east to west.This is caused primarily by the:

A) inherent rotation of the universe.
B) rotation of Earth around its own axis.
C) precession of the spin axis of Earth.
D) orbital motion of Earth around the Sun.

Question 72

When we watch the nighttime sky,we find that:

A) the stars and constellations remain fixed in our sky, not rising or setting in a time as short as one night because they are so far away.
B) most stars and constellations slowly rise in the east and set in the west.
C) most stars and constellations slowly rise in the west and set in the east.
D) all stars and constellations reach their highest point in the sky at midnight.

Question 73

An observer in the southern hemisphere will see increasing numbers of circumpolar stars as the observer's:

A) longitude decreases while she moves along a line of constant latitude.
B) latitude increases while she moves along a line of constant longitude.
C) latitude decreases while she moves along a line of constant longitude.
D) longitude increases while she moves along a line of constant latitude.

Question 74

The phrase "diurnal motion" refers to the:

A) slow change in position of the constellations from east to west from night to night, resulting in different constellations being visible at 11 p.m. in May than at 11 p.m. in December.
B) change in position of the Moon in the sky as it runs through its phases over the course of a month.
C) apparent motion of the Sun along the ecliptic over the course of a year.
D) gradual motion of the constellations from east to west across the sky each night, resulting in different constellations being visible at 4 a.m. than at 10 p.m. on any given night.

Question 75

As an observer moves toward increasing latitude,the number of circumpolar stars:

A) increases if the location of the observer is east of the Greenwich Meridian but decreases if the location is west of this meridian.
B) remains approximately constant.
C) decreases.
D) increases.

Question 76

The most readily observed east-to-west motion of objects in the night sky is caused by the:

A) relative motions of stars with respect to each other in the sky.
B) rotation of Earth on its axis.
C) rotation of the whole universe around a fixed axis near the Great Attractor.
D) revolution of Earth in its orbit around the Sun.

Question 77

The MOST easily observed motions in the night sky are produced by the:

A) rotation of Earth on its axis.
B) revolution of Earth around the Sun.
C) motion of the planets along their orbits around the Sun.
D) motion of stars with respect to each other in the sky.

Question 78

You measure the angle with the horizon made by stars as they rise and set.As you move northward from the equator,this angle:

A) remains the same.
B) decreases from 90° to zero.
C) increases from zero to 90°.
D) first increases until you get to middle latitudes and then decreases again.

Question 79

If you start at Earth's south pole and move northward,at what latitude would Polaris first become visible?

A) It would always be visible.
B) S 66.5°
C) S 23.5°
D) at the equator

Question 80

If you watch (or photograph)stars near the north celestial pole for a period of several hours,in what basic pattern do they appear to move?

A) spirals, as the stars move while Earth rotates
B) ellipses, with the North Pole at one focus
C) almost straight lines, rising from the horizon toward the zenith
D) circles, with the north celestial pole at the center