Question 1

Does the appearance of the constellations follow a seasonal pattern?

Accepted Answer

A)  No,all of the constellations are on any clear night of the year. 
B)  Yes.As the year progresses,the constellations move to different areas of the sky. 
C)  Yes,during a winter night all the constellations you can see are different from the ones that appear during a summer night. 
D)  Yes,during a summer night many of the constellations you can see are different from those you can see on a winter night.However,there are some constellations that are visible all year long.

Question 2

A second magnitude star in Ursa Major is brighter than a fourth magnitude star in Orion.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 3

Most of the constellations in use today originated in ____ mythology.

Accepted Answer

A)  Greek. 
B)  Middle Eastern 
C)  Both answers (a)and (b)

Question 4

Earth's rotation axis ____________________ slowly so that in a few thousand years Polaris will no longer be the North Star.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Earth's rotation axis ____________________ slowly so that...

Question 5

During one day and night in the mid-northern hemisphere,the stars near the north celestial pole...

Accepted Answer

A)  rise in the east. 
B)  set in the west. 
C)  circle the north celestial pole counter-clockwise. 
D)  circle the north celestial pole clockwise.

Question 6

An observer in the Southern Hemisphere takes a time exposure photograph of the night sky.If the illustration depicts the photograph taken by the observer,which direction was the camera pointing?

Accepted Answer

A)  straight north 
B)  straight east 
C)  straight south 
D)  straight west 
E)  straight up,directly overhead

Question 7

An observer on Earth's equator would find

Accepted Answer

A)  Polaris directly overhead. 
B)  Polaris 40$\degree$above the northern horizon. 
C)  that the celestial equator coincides with the horizon. 
D)  the celestial equator passing directly overhead. 
E)  that the ecliptic coincides with the horizon.

Question 8

You live at a latitude of 32$\degree$ N.What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon at the vernal equinox?

Accepted Answer

A)  45$\degree$ 
B)  23.5$\degree$ 
C)  32$\degree$ 
D)  58$\degree$ 
E)  81.5$\degree$

Question 9

Polaris is a second magnitude star,and Phi Pegasi is about 16 times fainter than Polaris.What is the approximate magnitude of Phi Pegasi?

Accepted Answer

A)  18 
B)  (-14) 
C)  3 
D)  (-3) 
E)  5

Question 10

As seen from the Earth's southern hemisphere,the celestial equator passes...

Accepted Answer

A)  north of overhead. 
B)  south of overhead. 
C)  through the north celestial pole. 
D)  through the south celestial pole.

Question 11

Polaris has always been the star nearest the north celestial pole.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 12

The inclination of the axis of the earth varies from 22$\degree$ to 24$\degree$ degrees taking ____ to complete a cycle.

Accepted Answer

A)  24 hours 
B)  1 year 
C)  499 years 
D)  41,000 years 
E)  Wrong! The Earth's axis tilt is fixed at exactly 23.50 with no variation whatsoever.

Question 13

If the Earth's period of rotation doubled,but the period of revolution stayed the same

Accepted Answer

A)  the night would be twice as long. 
B)  the night would be half as long. 
C)  the year would be half as long. 
D)  the year would be twice as long. 
E)  the length of the day would be unchanged

Question 14

The apparent visual magnitude of a star is 7.3.This tells us that the star is

Accepted Answer

A)  one of the brighter stars in the sky. 
B)  bright enough that it would be visible even during the day. 
C)  not visible with the unaided eye. 
D)  very close to Earth.

Question 15

A 3rd magnitude star is 3 times brighter than a 1st magnitude star.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 16

An observer in the Northern Hemisphere watches the sky for several hours.Due to the motion of Earth,this observer notices that the stars near the north celestial pole appear to move

Accepted Answer

A)  counter clockwise. 
B)  clockwise. 
C)  from left to right. 
D)  from right to left. 
E)  nearly vertically upward.

Question 17

Navigators can find their latitude by measuring the angle from the northern horizon to the north celestial pole.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 18

An observer in the Southern Hemisphere takes a time exposure photograph of the night sky.If the illustration depicts the photograph taken by the observer,which direction was the camera pointing?

Accepted Answer

A)  straight north 
B)  straight east 
C)  straight south 
D)  straight west 
E)  straight up,directly overhead

Question 19

You live at a latitude of 17$\degree$ N.What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon at the winter solstice?

Accepted Answer

A)  17$\degree$ 
B)  23.5$\degree$ 
C)  96.5$\degree$ 
D)  73$\degree$ 
E)  49.5$\degree$

Question 20

The Greek-letter plus constellation designation conveys information about a star's location and brightness.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 2: A Users Guide to the Sky

Does the appearance of the constellations follow a seasonal pattern?

A second magnitude star in Ursa Major is brighter than a fourth magnitude star in Orion.

Most of the constellations in use today originated in ____ mythology.

Earth's rotation axis ____________________ slowly so that in a few thousand years Polaris will no longer be the North Star.

During one day and night in the mid-northern hemisphere,the stars near the north celestial pole...

An observer in the Southern Hemisphere takes a time exposure photograph of the night sky.If the illustration depicts the photograph taken by the observer,which direction was the camera pointing?

An observer on Earth's equator would find

You live at a latitude of 32 $\degree$ N.What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon at the vernal equinox?

Polaris is a second magnitude star,and Phi Pegasi is about 16 times fainter than Polaris.What is the approximate magnitude of Phi Pegasi?

As seen from the Earth's southern hemisphere,the celestial equator passes...

Polaris has always been the star nearest the north celestial pole.

The inclination of the axis of the earth varies from 22 $\degree$ to 24 $\degree$ degrees taking ____ to complete a cycle.

If the Earth's period of rotation doubled,but the period of revolution stayed the same

The apparent visual magnitude of a star is 7.3.This tells us that the star is

A 3^rd magnitude star is 3 times brighter than a 1^st magnitude star.

An observer in the Northern Hemisphere watches the sky for several hours.Due to the motion of Earth,this observer notices that the stars near the north celestial pole appear to move

Navigators can find their latitude by measuring the angle from the northern horizon to the north celestial pole.

An observer in the Southern Hemisphere takes a time exposure photograph of the night sky.If the illustration depicts the photograph taken by the observer,which direction was the camera pointing?

You live at a latitude of 17 $\degree$ N.What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon at the winter solstice?

The Greek-letter plus constellation designation conveys information about a star's location and brightness.

Exam 2: A Users Guide to the Sky

Does the appearance of the constellations follow a seasonal pattern?

A second magnitude star in Ursa Major is brighter than a fourth magnitude star in Orion.

Most of the constellations in use today originated in ____ mythology.

Earth's rotation axis ____________________ slowly so that in a few thousand years Polaris will no longer be the North Star.

During one day and night in the mid-northern hemisphere,the stars near the north celestial pole...

An observer in the Southern Hemisphere takes a time exposure photograph of the night sky.If the illustration depicts the photograph taken by the observer,which direction was the camera pointing?

An observer on Earth's equator would find

You live at a latitude of 32 °\degree° N.What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon at the vernal equinox?

Polaris is a second magnitude star,and Phi Pegasi is about 16 times fainter than Polaris.What is the approximate magnitude of Phi Pegasi?

As seen from the Earth's southern hemisphere,the celestial equator passes...

Polaris has always been the star nearest the north celestial pole.

The inclination of the axis of the earth varies from 22 °\degree° to 24 °\degree° degrees taking ____ to complete a cycle.

If the Earth's period of rotation doubled,but the period of revolution stayed the same

The apparent visual magnitude of a star is 7.3.This tells us that the star is

A 3rd magnitude star is 3 times brighter than a 1st magnitude star.

An observer in the Northern Hemisphere watches the sky for several hours.Due to the motion of Earth,this observer notices that the stars near the north celestial pole appear to move

Navigators can find their latitude by measuring the angle from the northern horizon to the north celestial pole.

An observer in the Southern Hemisphere takes a time exposure photograph of the night sky.If the illustration depicts the photograph taken by the observer,which direction was the camera pointing?

You live at a latitude of 17 °\degree° N.What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon at the winter solstice?

The Greek-letter plus constellation designation conveys information about a star's location and brightness.

You live at a latitude of 32 $\degree$ N.What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon at the vernal equinox?

The inclination of the axis of the earth varies from 22 $\degree$ to 24 $\degree$ degrees taking ____ to complete a cycle.

A 3^rd magnitude star is 3 times brighter than a 1^st magnitude star.

You live at a latitude of 17 $\degree$ N.What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon at the winter solstice?