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Penn State Astro 001 Exam 1 Exam Review
Questions and Answers
What causes day and night? - ANSWER ✔✔-Rotation of Earth on its Axis
How does the Sun appear to move in the sky in the course of a day? - ANSWER ✔✔-East to West bc of
Earth's rotation. The stars and planets move the same way, also bc Earth's rotation
What happens to the Earth in one year? - ANSWER ✔✔-It orbits the Sun one time
Why do we have seasons? - ANSWER ✔✔-Tilt of Earth's axis (not changing from Sun). The tilt is about 23
degrees
How is the Earth's axis tilted when we have summer in the Northern hemisphere? - ANSWER ✔✔-With
the N. Pole toward Sun
What season is it in the Southern hemisphere when it is summer in the Northern hemisphere? - ANSWER
✔✔-Winter
When does Winter begin, and what does it entail? - ANSWER ✔✔-Begins Dec. 21. Nights longer than
Days.
When does Spring begin, and what does it entail? - ANSWER ✔✔-Begins March 21. Days and Nights are
equal.
When does Summer begin, and what does it entail? - ANSWER ✔✔-Begins June 21. Days longer than
Nights.
When does Fall begin, and what does it entail? - ANSWER ✔✔-Begins Sept. 21. Days and Nights are
equal.
Created by Grace Amelia © 2025, All Rights Reserved.
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Why do seasons happen? - ANSWER ✔✔-Seasons would NOT happen if the Earth's axis were not tilted.
Distance between Earth and Sun does not change much over the course of the year so temp. does not
change much for that reason.
What happens to the Moon in 1 month? - ANSWER ✔✔-It moves around the Earth one time
What causes the phases of the Moon? - ANSWER ✔✔-Sun is lighting different fractions of the part of the
Moon we can see on Earth
What is the order of the phases of the Moon? - ANSWER ✔✔-1. New
2. Waxing Crescent
3. First Quarter
4. Waxing Gibbous
5. Full
6. Waning Gibbous
7. Third Quarter
8. Waning Crescent
9. New
When is the Full Moon visible? - ANSWER ✔✔-Only at night. It transits at midnight, rises at 6 hours
earlier (at sunset) and sets 6 hours later (sunrise)
When is the New Moon visible - ANSWER ✔✔-The new moon is visible during the day. It transits at
noon, rises 6 hours earlier (at sunrises) and sets 6 hours later (at 6 pm)
What does Transit mean in terms of Moon Phases? - ANSWER ✔✔-In relation to when the moon rises
over a certain point.
Created by Grace Amelia © 2025, All Rights Reserved.
Penn State Astro 001 Exam 1 Exam Review
Questions and Answers
What causes day and night? - ANSWER ✔✔-Rotation of Earth on its Axis
How does the Sun appear to move in the sky in the course of a day? - ANSWER ✔✔-East to West bc of
Earth's rotation. The stars and planets move the same way, also bc Earth's rotation
What happens to the Earth in one year? - ANSWER ✔✔-It orbits the Sun one time
Why do we have seasons? - ANSWER ✔✔-Tilt of Earth's axis (not changing from Sun). The tilt is about 23
degrees
How is the Earth's axis tilted when we have summer in the Northern hemisphere? - ANSWER ✔✔-With
the N. Pole toward Sun
What season is it in the Southern hemisphere when it is summer in the Northern hemisphere? - ANSWER
✔✔-Winter
When does Winter begin, and what does it entail? - ANSWER ✔✔-Begins Dec. 21. Nights longer than
Days.
When does Spring begin, and what does it entail? - ANSWER ✔✔-Begins March 21. Days and Nights are
equal.
When does Summer begin, and what does it entail? - ANSWER ✔✔-Begins June 21. Days longer than
Nights.
When does Fall begin, and what does it entail? - ANSWER ✔✔-Begins Sept. 21. Days and Nights are
equal.
Created by Grace Amelia © 2025, All Rights Reserved.
, 2|Page
Why do seasons happen? - ANSWER ✔✔-Seasons would NOT happen if the Earth's axis were not tilted.
Distance between Earth and Sun does not change much over the course of the year so temp. does not
change much for that reason.
What happens to the Moon in 1 month? - ANSWER ✔✔-It moves around the Earth one time
What causes the phases of the Moon? - ANSWER ✔✔-Sun is lighting different fractions of the part of the
Moon we can see on Earth
What is the order of the phases of the Moon? - ANSWER ✔✔-1. New
2. Waxing Crescent
3. First Quarter
4. Waxing Gibbous
5. Full
6. Waning Gibbous
7. Third Quarter
8. Waning Crescent
9. New
When is the Full Moon visible? - ANSWER ✔✔-Only at night. It transits at midnight, rises at 6 hours
earlier (at sunset) and sets 6 hours later (sunrise)
When is the New Moon visible - ANSWER ✔✔-The new moon is visible during the day. It transits at
noon, rises 6 hours earlier (at sunrises) and sets 6 hours later (at 6 pm)
What does Transit mean in terms of Moon Phases? - ANSWER ✔✔-In relation to when the moon rises
over a certain point.
Created by Grace Amelia © 2025, All Rights Reserved.
