ASTRO 7N Exam 1
ASTRO 7N EXAM 1 INCLUDES ACCURATE AND VERIFIED QUESTIONS COVERING
FUNDAMENTAL ASTRONOMY CONCEPTS SUCH AS THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
PHASES OF THE MOON, PLANETARY MOTION, GRAVITY, LIGHT AND
TELESCOPES, AND THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ASTRONOMICAL
MODELS.DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS IN INTRODUCTORY ASTRONOMY COURSES
SUCH AS THOSE OFFERED AT PENN STATE
if earth had its orbit changed so that all points along its orbit it were always the same distance
from the sun (circular orbit), how would this affect the seasons on earth? - ANSWER-they would
be the same as they are now
a new planet orbits its star faster than the earth orbits the sun and it rotates more slowly than
he earth rotates. which is true - ANSWER-the new planet has a shorter year than earth and a
longer day than earth
what time of year is it dark all (and night) at the south pole of earth? - ANSWER-June
When the northern hemisphere is tilted TOWARDS the Sun the average daily temperature is
marked as____, suggested that the northern hemisphere is experiencing____ - ANSWER-
warm;summer
And, on the opposite site of the orbit, when the northern hemisphere is tilted the farther away
from the sun, the average daily temperature is marked as____, suggesting that the norther
hemisphere is experiencing___ - ANSWER-cool;winter
in the southern hemisphere its___in late june, and__is in late december - ANSWER-
winter;summer
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, ASTRO 7N Exam 1
the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere is on or about____ and the shortest is,
again, six months later near___, when the earth is at the opposite point in its orbit around the
sun - ANSWER-June 21 and December 21
These are called summer solstice and winter solstice
Two dates are on opposite sides of the earth's orbit near - ANSWER-March 21 and September
21
these are called the Vernal Equinox and Autumnal equinox (equal night)
Moon Phases and Eclipses - ANSWER-Q: What happens to the moon in 1 month?
A: It moves once around the Earth.
Q: What causes the phases of the Moon?
A: The Sun is lighting up different fractions of the part of the Moon we see from Earth.
Q: What is the order of the phases of the Moon? A: New - Waxing Crescent - First Quarter -
Waxing Gibbous - Full - - Waning Gibbous - Third Quarter - Waning Crescent - New (and
repeat...)
Q: When is the full moon visible?
A: Only at night. It transits (is highest in the sky, or overhead) at midnight; the full moon rises 6
hours earlier (at sunset), and sets 6 hours later (at sunrise).
Q: When is the new moon visible?
A: The new moon is visible during the day. It transits at noon; it rises 6 hours earlier (at sunrise),
and sets 6 hours later (at sunset).
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, ASTRO 7N Exam 1
Q: How are the Sun, Earth, and Moon positioned when it is new Moon?
A: in a straight line: Sun — Moon — Earth
Q: How are the Sun, Earth, and Moon positioned when it is full Moon?
A: Sun — Earth — Moon
Q: What is a solar eclipse?
A: The Moon is blocking the Sun's light, or a location on the Earth's surface is passing under the
Moon's shadow.
Moon Phases and Eclipses pt2 - ANSWER-The outer ring of Moons shows the orientation of the
Sun-illuminated half its surface; the inner ring of Moons shows how the Moon appears in our
sky at those times.
The Moon phase directly away from a point on the Earth's surface can be said to be "overhead"
at the time of day that corresponds to that direction (e.g., a full Moon at midnight, first quarter
at sunset, a waning crescent at 9:00am, etc.)
A Moon phase rises about 6 hours before it is overhead, and then sets about 6 hours later.
Moon phases - ANSWER-Q: How are the Sun, Earth, and Moon positioned when it is a solar
eclipse?
A: Sun — Moon — Earth (as in a new Moon).
Q: What is a lunar eclipse?
A: Earth's shadow passes across the Moon.
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, ASTRO 7N Exam 1
Q: How are the Sun, Earth, and Moon positioned when it is a lunar eclipse, and what phase is
the Moon in?
A: Sun — Earth — Moon (as in a full Moon).
Q: Why do eclipses not occur every month on Earth?
A: The Moon orbits the Earth in a slightly different plane than the Earth orbits the Sun.
Q: What about eclipses of the moons of Mars?
A: Mars has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos. Relative to Earth's Moon, they are tiny, and
closer to their planet and orbiting faster — and closer to the orbital plane of Mars around the
Sun. This leads to more frequent eclipses visible from Mars.
The force of gravity by the Sun keeps the planet in orbit around it, but how do the planets affect
the sun? - ANSWER-They exert an equally strong pull on the sun, causing it move slightly
Newton's First Law - ANSWER-An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in
motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced
force.
ex: if the sun suddenly disappeared, the Earth would continue in the direction that it was
traveling in its orbit at that time
Newton's Second Law - ANSWER-The acceleration of a body due to a force will be in the same
direction as the force, with magnitude directly proportional to its mass
Force = mass x acceleration
A smaller mas will move faster, if the same force is applied to it
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ASTRO 7N EXAM 1 INCLUDES ACCURATE AND VERIFIED QUESTIONS COVERING
FUNDAMENTAL ASTRONOMY CONCEPTS SUCH AS THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
PHASES OF THE MOON, PLANETARY MOTION, GRAVITY, LIGHT AND
TELESCOPES, AND THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ASTRONOMICAL
MODELS.DESIGNED FOR STUDENTS IN INTRODUCTORY ASTRONOMY COURSES
SUCH AS THOSE OFFERED AT PENN STATE
if earth had its orbit changed so that all points along its orbit it were always the same distance
from the sun (circular orbit), how would this affect the seasons on earth? - ANSWER-they would
be the same as they are now
a new planet orbits its star faster than the earth orbits the sun and it rotates more slowly than
he earth rotates. which is true - ANSWER-the new planet has a shorter year than earth and a
longer day than earth
what time of year is it dark all (and night) at the south pole of earth? - ANSWER-June
When the northern hemisphere is tilted TOWARDS the Sun the average daily temperature is
marked as____, suggested that the northern hemisphere is experiencing____ - ANSWER-
warm;summer
And, on the opposite site of the orbit, when the northern hemisphere is tilted the farther away
from the sun, the average daily temperature is marked as____, suggesting that the norther
hemisphere is experiencing___ - ANSWER-cool;winter
in the southern hemisphere its___in late june, and__is in late december - ANSWER-
winter;summer
1|Page
, ASTRO 7N Exam 1
the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere is on or about____ and the shortest is,
again, six months later near___, when the earth is at the opposite point in its orbit around the
sun - ANSWER-June 21 and December 21
These are called summer solstice and winter solstice
Two dates are on opposite sides of the earth's orbit near - ANSWER-March 21 and September
21
these are called the Vernal Equinox and Autumnal equinox (equal night)
Moon Phases and Eclipses - ANSWER-Q: What happens to the moon in 1 month?
A: It moves once around the Earth.
Q: What causes the phases of the Moon?
A: The Sun is lighting up different fractions of the part of the Moon we see from Earth.
Q: What is the order of the phases of the Moon? A: New - Waxing Crescent - First Quarter -
Waxing Gibbous - Full - - Waning Gibbous - Third Quarter - Waning Crescent - New (and
repeat...)
Q: When is the full moon visible?
A: Only at night. It transits (is highest in the sky, or overhead) at midnight; the full moon rises 6
hours earlier (at sunset), and sets 6 hours later (at sunrise).
Q: When is the new moon visible?
A: The new moon is visible during the day. It transits at noon; it rises 6 hours earlier (at sunrise),
and sets 6 hours later (at sunset).
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, ASTRO 7N Exam 1
Q: How are the Sun, Earth, and Moon positioned when it is new Moon?
A: in a straight line: Sun — Moon — Earth
Q: How are the Sun, Earth, and Moon positioned when it is full Moon?
A: Sun — Earth — Moon
Q: What is a solar eclipse?
A: The Moon is blocking the Sun's light, or a location on the Earth's surface is passing under the
Moon's shadow.
Moon Phases and Eclipses pt2 - ANSWER-The outer ring of Moons shows the orientation of the
Sun-illuminated half its surface; the inner ring of Moons shows how the Moon appears in our
sky at those times.
The Moon phase directly away from a point on the Earth's surface can be said to be "overhead"
at the time of day that corresponds to that direction (e.g., a full Moon at midnight, first quarter
at sunset, a waning crescent at 9:00am, etc.)
A Moon phase rises about 6 hours before it is overhead, and then sets about 6 hours later.
Moon phases - ANSWER-Q: How are the Sun, Earth, and Moon positioned when it is a solar
eclipse?
A: Sun — Moon — Earth (as in a new Moon).
Q: What is a lunar eclipse?
A: Earth's shadow passes across the Moon.
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, ASTRO 7N Exam 1
Q: How are the Sun, Earth, and Moon positioned when it is a lunar eclipse, and what phase is
the Moon in?
A: Sun — Earth — Moon (as in a full Moon).
Q: Why do eclipses not occur every month on Earth?
A: The Moon orbits the Earth in a slightly different plane than the Earth orbits the Sun.
Q: What about eclipses of the moons of Mars?
A: Mars has two small moons, Phobos and Deimos. Relative to Earth's Moon, they are tiny, and
closer to their planet and orbiting faster — and closer to the orbital plane of Mars around the
Sun. This leads to more frequent eclipses visible from Mars.
The force of gravity by the Sun keeps the planet in orbit around it, but how do the planets affect
the sun? - ANSWER-They exert an equally strong pull on the sun, causing it move slightly
Newton's First Law - ANSWER-An object at rest stays at rest and an object in motion stays in
motion with the same speed and in the same direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced
force.
ex: if the sun suddenly disappeared, the Earth would continue in the direction that it was
traveling in its orbit at that time
Newton's Second Law - ANSWER-The acceleration of a body due to a force will be in the same
direction as the force, with magnitude directly proportional to its mass
Force = mass x acceleration
A smaller mas will move faster, if the same force is applied to it
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