Astronomy Exam 1 (Chapters 1-5) ||
Newest Exam Update
A line running from due north to due south through a point directly overhead is called -
CORRECT ANSWER a meridian
Residents of the Southern Hemisphere cannot see the stars around the north celestial
pole because -CORRECT ANSWER Earth itself is in the way.
A sky observer in the southern hemisphere would see stars moving which way? -
CORRECT ANSWER clockwise
Is there any location on Earth where the entire sky is potentially visible within a 24 hour
period (ignoring the fact that some stars can't be seen if it is daytime)? -CORRECT
ANSWER At the equator
The equator is the only place on Earth where you can see the entire celestial sphere
(day or night) over the course of 24 hours. -CORRECT ANSWER True
If a star rises on the eastern horizon, it will set on the western horizon 6 hours later. -
CORRECT ANSWER False
Constellations are arbitrary groupings of stars in the sky. -CORRECT ANSWER True
Our Sun is the most massive and luminous star in the Milky Way. -CORRECT
ANSWER False
Pluto is the only dwarf planet in our Solar System. -CORRECT ANSWER False
The heavy elements that make up most of Earth were formed via nuclear fusion in the
center of our Sun. -CORRECT ANSWER False
The Local Group is a member of the Virgo Supercluster. -CORRECT ANSWER True
If a scientific theory cannot be tested, it is assumed to be true. -CORRECT ANSWER
False
A crucial component of a scientific theory is that it is able to be tested by observations
and thus proven true or false. -CORRECT ANSWER True
On the autumnal equinox, the lengths of both day and night are 12 hours. -CORRECT
ANSWER True
, The altitude of the Sun as it crosses the meridian changes during the year. -CORRECT
ANSWER True
A person who lives at the equator will see the Sun directly overhead at noon every day
of the year. -CORRECT ANSWER False
The seasons on Earth are caused by the change in distance between the Sun and
Earth. -CORRECT ANSWER False
The apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere during a year is called the: -
CORRECT ANSWER ecliptic plane
The ecliptic plane is defined by the motion of __________ in the sky. -CORRECT
ANSWER the Sun
How far away on average is the Earth from the Sun? -CORRECT ANSWER 150 million
kilometers
If you go out at exactly 9 P.M. each evening over the course of one month, the position
of a given star will move westward by tens of degrees. What causes this motion? -
CORRECT ANSWER The revolution of the Earth around the Sun
The shortest day of the year for a person living in the NORTHERN Hemisphere is the: -
CORRECT ANSWER winter solstice
On which day of the year does the Sun reach its northernmost point in the sky? -
CORRECT ANSWER Summer solstice
When the Northern Hemisphere experiences summer, the Southern Hemisphere
experiences: -CORRECT ANSWER winter
The fact that we always see the same side of the Moon indicates that the Moon does
not rotate about an axis. -CORRECT ANSWER False
When a solar eclipse occurs, the Sun lies between the Earth and Moon. -CORRECT
ANSWER False
The Earth's rotational axis precesses in space and completes one revolution every: -
CORRECT ANSWER 26,000 years
Leap years occur because: -CORRECT ANSWER the Earth's orbital period is 365.24
days
The Moon undergoes synchronous rotation, and as a consequence the: -CORRECT
ANSWER rotational period of the Moon equals the orbital period of the Moon around
the Earth
Newest Exam Update
A line running from due north to due south through a point directly overhead is called -
CORRECT ANSWER a meridian
Residents of the Southern Hemisphere cannot see the stars around the north celestial
pole because -CORRECT ANSWER Earth itself is in the way.
A sky observer in the southern hemisphere would see stars moving which way? -
CORRECT ANSWER clockwise
Is there any location on Earth where the entire sky is potentially visible within a 24 hour
period (ignoring the fact that some stars can't be seen if it is daytime)? -CORRECT
ANSWER At the equator
The equator is the only place on Earth where you can see the entire celestial sphere
(day or night) over the course of 24 hours. -CORRECT ANSWER True
If a star rises on the eastern horizon, it will set on the western horizon 6 hours later. -
CORRECT ANSWER False
Constellations are arbitrary groupings of stars in the sky. -CORRECT ANSWER True
Our Sun is the most massive and luminous star in the Milky Way. -CORRECT
ANSWER False
Pluto is the only dwarf planet in our Solar System. -CORRECT ANSWER False
The heavy elements that make up most of Earth were formed via nuclear fusion in the
center of our Sun. -CORRECT ANSWER False
The Local Group is a member of the Virgo Supercluster. -CORRECT ANSWER True
If a scientific theory cannot be tested, it is assumed to be true. -CORRECT ANSWER
False
A crucial component of a scientific theory is that it is able to be tested by observations
and thus proven true or false. -CORRECT ANSWER True
On the autumnal equinox, the lengths of both day and night are 12 hours. -CORRECT
ANSWER True
, The altitude of the Sun as it crosses the meridian changes during the year. -CORRECT
ANSWER True
A person who lives at the equator will see the Sun directly overhead at noon every day
of the year. -CORRECT ANSWER False
The seasons on Earth are caused by the change in distance between the Sun and
Earth. -CORRECT ANSWER False
The apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere during a year is called the: -
CORRECT ANSWER ecliptic plane
The ecliptic plane is defined by the motion of __________ in the sky. -CORRECT
ANSWER the Sun
How far away on average is the Earth from the Sun? -CORRECT ANSWER 150 million
kilometers
If you go out at exactly 9 P.M. each evening over the course of one month, the position
of a given star will move westward by tens of degrees. What causes this motion? -
CORRECT ANSWER The revolution of the Earth around the Sun
The shortest day of the year for a person living in the NORTHERN Hemisphere is the: -
CORRECT ANSWER winter solstice
On which day of the year does the Sun reach its northernmost point in the sky? -
CORRECT ANSWER Summer solstice
When the Northern Hemisphere experiences summer, the Southern Hemisphere
experiences: -CORRECT ANSWER winter
The fact that we always see the same side of the Moon indicates that the Moon does
not rotate about an axis. -CORRECT ANSWER False
When a solar eclipse occurs, the Sun lies between the Earth and Moon. -CORRECT
ANSWER False
The Earth's rotational axis precesses in space and completes one revolution every: -
CORRECT ANSWER 26,000 years
Leap years occur because: -CORRECT ANSWER the Earth's orbital period is 365.24
days
The Moon undergoes synchronous rotation, and as a consequence the: -CORRECT
ANSWER rotational period of the Moon equals the orbital period of the Moon around
the Earth
