Multiple-Choice Questions
1) Drawing on Erastothenes' method, if two observers are due north and south of each other and are separated by 400 km, what is the circumference of their spherical world if they see the same star on their meridian at altitudes of 23 degrees and 47 degrees respectively, and at the exact same time?
A) 2,000 km
B) 4,000 km
C) 6,000 km
D) 8,000 km
E) 12,000 km
Page Ref: E.4
2) The star Wolf 1061 has a parallax of 2.34 arcseconds, while the star Ross 652 has a parallax of 1.70 arcseconds. What can you correctly conclude?
A) Both stars are outside the Milky Way galaxy.
B) Wolf 1061 must have a larger proper motion yjam Ross 652.
C) Ross 652 must have a larger proper motion than Wolf 1061.
D) Ross 652 is closer to Earth than Wolf 1061.
E) Wolf 1061 is closer to Earth than Ross 652.
Page Ref: E.4
3) The greatest distance above or below the ecliptic can the Moon move is
A) 5.2 degrees
B) 23.5 degrees
C) 27.3 degrees
D) 29.5 degrees
E) 30 degrees
Page Ref: E.3
4) In an annular eclipse
A) The Sun is totally blocked by the Moon.
B) The Moon is totally blocked by the Earth.
C) The Moon appears as a thin, bright ring.
D) The Sun appears as a thin, bright ring.
E) The Sun is partially blocked by the Earth.
Page Ref: E.3
5) If you are in the earth's umbra, then
A) it must be a total solar eclipse.
B) it must be a lunar eclipse of some type.
C) it is night time.
D) the Sun is always visible.
E) the Moon is always visible.
Page Ref: E.3
6) The synodic month is
A) 29.5 days.
B) about two days shorter than the sidereal month.
C) based on the moon's position relative to the stars.
D) the basis of the year we use in our modern calendar.
E) caused by both the earth's and Moon's rotations.
Page Ref: E.3
7) If the Moon appears half lit, and is almost overhead about 6:00 AM, its phase is
A) waxing crescent.
B) first quarter.
C) full.
D) third quarter.
E) waning crescent.
Page Ref: E.3
8) If new Moon fell on March 2nd, what is the Moon's phase on March 14th?
A) waxing crescent
B) first quarter
C) waxing gibbous
D) full
E) waning crescent
Page Ref: E.3
9) The conditions needed to produce a solar eclipse are a
A) new Moon above the ecliptic
B) full Moon on ecliptic
C) full Moon on the Celestial Equator
D) new Moon on ecliptic
E) first or third quarter moon on the ecliptic.
Page Ref: E.3
10) What will occur when the full Moon is on the ecliptic?
A) a total lunar eclipse
B) a total solar eclipse
C) a partial solar eclipse
D) an annular lunar eclipse
E) a partial lunar eclipse if the Moon is at perigee
Page Ref: E.3
11) If you are in the Moon's umbral shadow, then you will witness
A) nighttime.
B) a total solar eclipse.
C) a total lunar eclipse.
D) a partial solar eclipse.
E) some kind of lunar eclipse.
Page Ref: E.3
12) The time for the Moon to orbit Earth, relative to the stars is
A) 23 hours, 56 minutes
B) about 7 days
C) 27.3 days
D) 29.5 days
E) 18 years, 11.3 days
Page Ref: E.3
13) The interval from new Moon to first quarter is about a(n)
A) hour.
B) day.
C) week.
D) month.
E) year.
Page Ref: E.3
14) The star Thuban in Draco
A) lies as the center of the precession cycle.
B) was an excellent pole star in 3,000 BC.
C) is brighter than Polaris.
D) lies halfway between the bowls of the Big and Little Dippers.
E) is used to locate the vernal equinox.
Page Ref: E.2
15) If Scorpius is now prominent in the summer sky, in 13,000 years it will be best seen
A) at the same season; the heavens do not change.
B) in the autumn.
C) in the winter sky.
D) in the spring sky.
E) It will not be visible then at all. All of its stars will have vanished by then.
Page Ref: E.2
16) If Taurus is now rising at sunset, which constellation will rise at sunset next month?
A) Scorpius
B) Aquarius
C) Gemini
D) Aries
E) Pisces
Page Ref: E.2
17) The fact that the Earth has moved along its orbit in the time it took to rotate once is the reason for
A) the difference between solar and sidereal time.
B) precession.
C) seasons.
D) the position of the Celestial Equator.
E) earths 23.5 degree tilt.
Page Ref: E 2
18) When the Moon is directly opposite the Sun in the sky, its phase is
A) new.
B) waxing or waning crescent
C) first or third quarter.
D) waxing or waning gibbous.
E) full.
Page Ref: E 2
19) You note that a particular star is directly overhead. It will be directly overhead again in
A) 1 hour
B) 12 hours
C) 23 hours 56 minutes
D) 24 hours 4 minutes
E) 48 hours 8 minutes
Page Ref: E 2
20) While watching a star, you see it moves 15 degrees across the sky. How long have you been watching it?
A) 1 hour
B) 3 hours
C) 15 minutes
D) 15 seconds
E) 1 minute
Page Ref: E 2
21) That Polaris will not always be the pole star is due to
A) the sidereal day being shorter than the solar day.
B) precession shifting the celestial pole.
C) the Moon following the ecliptic, instead of the equator.
D) the earth's revolution being slightly less than exactly 365.25 days.
E) the Solar winds blowing the earth farther away from the Sun.
Page Ref: E.2
22) From the horizon to the observer's zenith is an angle of
A) 30 degrees for observers at a latitude of 30 degrees north.
B) 90 degrees for everyone on the earth.
C) 23.5 degrees for observers at the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn.
D) 66.5 degrees for everyone on the earth.
E) 0.0 degrees for an observer at the Earth's north pole.
Page Ref: E.2
24) The 26,000 year cycle that changes the poles and equinoxes is called
A) a retrograde loop.
B) the earth's rotation.
C) precession.
D) regression.
E) revolution.
Page Ref: E.2
25) The twelve constellations the solar system bodies move through are the
A) equatorial constellations.
B) signs of the zodiac.
C) nodes of the ecliptic.
D) galactic equator.
E) stages of heaven.
Page Ref: E.2
26) A star with a right ascension of 1.0 hours will rise
A) 1.0 hours before the vernal equinox.
B) 13.0 hours before the vernal equinox.vernal equinox.
C) .1.0 hours after the vernal equinox.
D) 11.0 hours after the vernal equinox.
E) at the same time as the vernal equinox.
Page Ref: E.1
27) What are constellations?
A) Groups of galaxies gravitationally bound and close together in the sky
B) Groups of stars making an apparent pattern in the celestial sphere
C) Groups of stars gravitationally bound and appearing close together in the sky
D) Ancient story boards, useless to modern astronomers
E) Apparent groupings of stars and planets visible on a given evening
Page Ref: E.1
28) A star with a declination of +60.0 degrees will be
A) east of the vernal equinox
B) west of the vernal equinox.
C) north of the celestial equator.
D) south of the celestial equator.
E) None of these answers are correct.
Page Ref: E.1
29) Into how many constellations is the celestial sphere divided?
A) 12
B) 44
C) 57
D) 88
E) 110
Page Ref: E.1
30) In general, what is true of the alpha star in a constellation?
A) It is the brightest star in the constellation.
B) It is the easternmost star in the constellation.
C) It is the westernmost star in the constellation.
D) It is the reddest star in the constellation.
E) It is the star that is closest to Earth.
Page Ref: E 1