Astronomy 300
Study Questions for Test 1
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You are looking at the current sky shortly after sunset.
1. Name the planets currently visible, from east to west.
2. Which asterism would be seen rising in the East?
3. If this diagram is for February 1 at 9:00 p.m. on March 1 it would match the sky at
4. In which direction would planet/star D set?
Refer to the table below for the following two questions.
5. The diagram shows the rising, meridian crossing, and setting times for Sextans, a constellation on the celestial equator. What time will Sextans set on June 15?
6. Which boxes, besides B and e, have correct times?
7. What star has a declination which varies from -23o to +23o?
8. From where on the Earth would there be no circumpolar constellations?
9. Which of these stars most likely has a declination of +89o?
10. Which is not one of Kepler's Law?
Use the following diagram for:
You are viewing the sky from a city 20 degrees north of Peoria.
11. Angle 1 equals
12. Angle 2 equals
13. If you were to travel south, would angle 1
14, Which of the following is a proof of the earth's rotation?
15. The sun has just risen due east. What is the date and approximate solar time?
16. The North Star (Polaris) is one of the best known stars because
17. Galileo was the first to use the telescope to observe which of the following?
18. Which of the following cities has the least season variation in length of daylight?
19. Approximately what angle does your fist subtend when held at arm's length (plus or minus 4 degrees?
20. Which of these is true on the spring equinox?
21. If you are at the North Pole and a star is 15 degrees from the horizon at 8:00 p.m., when will it set?
22. What might be a good name for a star with a declination of -90o?
23. If you were standing near the equator/arctic circle, what would you notice as the sun sets?
24. Who was the first known astronomer to propose a heliocentric universe?
25. Why did Kepler eventually abandon his theory of the 5 nested solids as an explanation for the spacing of the planets?
Refer to the diagram below for question 26.
26. The sun and a star are shown on the meridian. Twenty-four hours later, where will the sun be?
27. Which star is not in the summer triangle?
28. Which of the following was not one of Aristotle's proofs of the Earth's sphericity?
Refer to the diagram below for
29. You are observing the apparent motions of the stars in the diagram. Which arrows indicate possible directions of motion after several hours?
Refer to the attached diagram sheet for the following 4 questions.
You are looking north on January 15th at 9 p.m.
30. In which direction would star F appear to move after 1 hours?
31. Which is the North Star?
32. If the time in this diagram were 3 a.m., what would the month be?
33. In how many hours will star D be directly below the North Star?
34. Kepler's main problem in making progress with his theories after joining Tycho Brahe was
35. Which of the following statements is most accurate?
Refer to the diagram below for the following 4 questions.
36. The circled constellation is
37. Which is Rigel?
38. What time is it if the date is the current date?
39. Where should Leo be?
Refer to the diagram for the following questions.
A prehistoric people built an apparent solar calendar, illustrated in the diagram. At 12 Noon each day the shadow aligned with the row of dots, labeled A-E. The shadow was never longer than dot E nor shorter than dot A. Which dot would the shadow align with on the following dates?
40. December 21
41. March 21
42. May 21
43. Did these people live in the tropics?
44. Which is the best month to observe the Milky Way at 9 p.m.
45. It was known by the ancients that the ecliptic does not coincide with the celestial equator, but rather is inclined to the equator by an angle of
46. During which months of the year does the length of daylight change the most from the first day to the last day?
47. How did Ptolemy attempt to explain retrograde motion of the planets?
48. Who was the astronomer known for his accurate positional observations of the planets?
49. The cycle of precession takes
50. In one day the difference between sidereal time and solar time is
51. If Orion crosses the meridian at midnight in December, when would it rise in June?
52. Declination is measured in
53. The inventor of the telescope was
54. Which of these is(are) a proof of the Earth's rotation?
55. The position of the sun when it is farthest north of the celestial equator is
56. Heliocentric means
57. Which day of the year has the longest daylight?
58. What was the main or most important alignment in Stonehenge?
59. What contribution to astronomy did Hipparchus make that we still use (slightly modified) even today?
Refer to the diagram for Questions 30-33 for the following 4 questions.
60. Which direction would A move after one hour?
61. Which direction (approximately) did the sun set?
62. What planet is at E?
63. What planet will be at B in mid-March?
64. It is February 1, 1997. In which constellation does the sun appear to be?
65. Of the following, which three stars are in the winter circle?
66. Which of the following is a proof of the Earth's revolution?
67. The sun appears to travel through which of the following groups of constellations?
Refer to the diagram below for the following 8 questions.
This diagram shows the layout of 12 stone markers in a prominent archaeostronomical site. All observations were made from a post in the center. The directions of the winter solstice sunrise (*over post F) and the spring equinox sunset (over post D) are shown. Which posts mark the following events or directions?
68. Fall Equinox sunrise
69. North
70. Winter Solstice sunset
71. Summer Solstice sunrise
72. Summer Solstice sunset
73. Is this monument?
74. If a star rises over post E, where will it set?
75. If a star rises over post C at 6 p.m. on January 15, when and over what post will it rise on July 15?
Refer to the attached diagram sheet for the following 2 questions.
You are observing the meridian from Peoria. At what altitude would the sun cross the meridian on the following dates?
76. March 21
77. May 21
78. The Sun's apparent path through the stars is known as the
79. The major reason the Sun appears to change its position with respect to the fixed stars is due to
80. You are observing the sun as it moves along its yearly path through the fixed stars. What is its apparent direction of motion (due to this yearly motion only)?
81. If Orion crosses the meridian at 8 p.m. in February, when would it set in August?
82. If a star rises in the northeast, in what direction does it set?
83. Polaris is very nearly fixed in our sky. That is, its apparent daily motion is slight. Two thousand years ago this was definitely not true due to
84. Which day is the sun straight up - directly overhead - from Peoria?
85. Stonehenge and Woodhenge were used by ancient civilizations primarily as
Refer to the diagram below for the following 3 questions.
86. The circle constellation is
87. Which is Deneb?
88. What time is it?
Refer to the following diagram for question 89.
89. The sun and a star are shown on the meridian. Twenty four hours later, where will the star be?
90. The Zenith is directly overhead in
91. The angle between the North Celestial Pole and the horizon at any given location north of the equator equals
92. The angle between the North Celestial Pole and the celestial equator for any given location north of the equator equals
93. Which of the following are not basic principles of Greek cosmology?
94. Which of the following is a circumpolar constellation from the equator?
95. The Helical rising of a planet (or star) occurs when
96. Crucial to Kepler's early theories on the arrangement of the planets was his belief that God was a
97. Kepler's mother sold
98. Mesoamerican astronomers were interested in
99. Who was the first person to state empirically how the solar system works?
100. If the Earth's axial tilt were 10o, what would the maximum and minimum declinations of the Sun be throughout the year?
101. The Earth's axis is tilted in such a way that
102. Which of these is not a constellation?
103. Which of these is not an asterism?
104. Which of the following terms describes the motion of a planet as it appears to slow down, reverse its direction (amongst the stars), and then slow down and return to its original direction of motion?
105. The first mathematical formula describing the motions of a heavenly body was set forth by
106. Who was the first person to use the telescope to view Venus?
107. A planet's velocity in its orbit
108. Name three ancient Greek astronomers that you have studied
109. Based on minimizing the fuel needed to achieve orbital velocity, which would be the best state for the USA's future spaceport?
110. Which of the following were not part of the seasonal alignment system of the Teotihuacanos?
111. Who were the people who built the "Woodhenge" at Cahokia?
112. Measurements made on the celestial sphere are made in
113. Precession is
114. The most readily observed motion in the sky is produced by
115. Suppose you are outside on a clear winter night when the moon and Betelgeuse, a bright red star in the consolation Orion, are on the meridian. On the next night, when Betelgeuse is again on the meridian, the moon will be
116. If Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, rises at 10:00 p.m. one night, the following night it will rise at
117. If Vega rises tonight at 2:00 a.m., at what time should you be looking for it two months from tonight?
118. Suppose you are on a strange planet. Since you have had an astronomy class at the university, you are aware of the daily motion of stars about a fixed point in the sky. Furthermore, you notice that this fixed point is 30 degrees above the horizon. You then deduce that your latitude on this planet is
119. Planet X has its rotation axis perpendicular to its orbital plane. Its seasons would be
120. At the vernal equinox, an observer on the equator in Quite, Ecuador will observe the sun to be __ degrees above the horizon at noon.
121. Assume that Alaska and Hawaii have the same longitude. Also, assume that Super-Astronomer can leap from Hawaii to Alaska in one gigantic jump for science. (Use your imagination!) In order to assure his landing in Alaska at the same longitude from which he left Hawaii, he would have to
122. What motion of the Earth could cause a change in the severity of the seasons (i.e., winters might become colder than the present average and summer become warmer).
123. From what reference point is Right Ascension measured?
124. Hipparchus did all of the following except
125. About how long will Polaris continue to be our North Star?
126. Ancient civilizations devised astronomical devices such as Stonehenge because
127. How long does it take for a constellation north of the equator to cross the sky?
128. In what location on Earth could you set up a Foucault Pendulum so that it would change the direction if its swing by 90o in six hours?
129. The sun appears to travel through which set of constellations?
130. Betelgeuse is easily seen in the night sky because
131. Which of the following objects has an escape velocity which exceeds the speed of light?
132. Right Ascension is measured in
133. Which motion describes the Earth's movement around the Sun?
134. If today is the Winter Solstice, tomorrow we will have
135. As expressed by Sagan, modern science is the fusion of
136. The angular distance between two stars
137. Which constellation is located along the ecliptic, but not recognized by astrologers?
138. At noon the sun has a declination of 0o. What is the date?
139. At noon the sun has a declination of 0o. Where is the sun located on the celestial sphere?
140. If you were in Peoria, what would be the angle between the North Celestial Pole and the celestial equator?
141. The word "planet" is the Greek word for
142. What star will most likely be our North Star in 13,000 years
143. From what state of the U.S. can the sun be seen to reach the zenith?
144. The Asterism known as the "sickle" is found in which constellation?
145. This shape (a very large question mark) reminds a celestial observer of what constellation?
146. This shape ( looks like a winged house) reminds a celestial observer of what constellation?
147. If it is an hour or two after sunset and you see this shape in the south (same shape as question 148) what month is most likely?
148. When is the Earth closest to the sun?
149. Which of the following is true?
150. On June 21 the Sun will rise and set perpendicular to the horizon at the
151. In any direction you look, the equator of the Earth is 90o away from you. You are at
152. On September 23 the Sun is near the
153. You see a star on the meridian to the south at 8 PM on November 15. About when did you or will you see it to the south at 10 PM?
154. The Sun is 30o west of the celestial meridian. What is the approximate time of day?
155. Assume you stand at a latitude of 36oS. What is the altitude of the highest point of the celestial equator?
156. The seasons are caused by
157. Where is Arcturus?
158. Why do the astrological signs of the zodiac not overlap the actual astronomical constellations?
159. What is the popular asterism in Sagittarius?
160. Which constellation is the charioteer?
161. Where is Altair?
162. What is now the northernmost constellation of the zodiac?
163. What constellation contains the Big Dipper?
164. Kepler's second law states that the line that connects a planet to the Sun
165. As the Moon moves through the stars it roughly follows the
166. Who first established the heliocentric theory of the solar system?
167. As you look to the south from the northern hemisphere, the stars appear to move
168. If while traveling you stay at the same latitude, you must be moving either
169. What season begins on June 21 in Argentina?
170. The celestial meridian passes through the
171. The obliquity of the ecliptic is the angle between the
172. At what latitude will the Sun be seen overhead on September 23?
173. The Earth's rotational axis emerges from the Earth at
174. Where is Altair?
175. Which group is an asterism and not a constellation?
176. Who invented the magnitude system?
177. Where is the star Vega?
178. What stars make the summer triangle?
179. What constellation is NOT part of the zodiac?
180. Most star names came to us from
181. Ptolemy explained retrograde motions by
ESSAY QUESTIONS
MAKE UP A NEW QUESTION: (5 POINTS)
A. Make up a good multiple choice question which you think should have been on this test and give four possible responses, only one of which should be correct. Indicate which one is correct. You must answer correctly for credit. Trivial questions will not receive full credit.
WORTH 10 POINTS
B. What motivated ancient civilizations to study astronomy? What kinds of observations did these people make, i.e., what were they interested in, what observational techniques did they have in common?
C. What were the principal concepts which characterized early Greek astronomy? How did these concepts change during the Renaissance? In particular, discuss the contribution of Galileo and Kepler. How did Kepler's laws change these concepts of the Greeks?
D. Discuss examples of some common "pitfalls" in the development of science. Suggest some possible analogous situations in modern times.
E. Describe the astronomical achievements of early man in the Americas. In particular, how did he use his observations to govern his life? Where are some of the more notable sites and how were their particular features utilized (i.e., what observations could be made and what was their significance?)
F. What are the major star groups and/or asterisms which characterize each of the seasons? Draw a diagram of each and locate at least one named star.
G. Describe three differences between the dates given in a newspaper horoscope and the dates when the sun is currently located within a particular zodiacal constellation? Why are there differences? How would you characterize a modern scientist's view of astrology?
H. Elaborate as necessary to correct the following popular misconceptions or "old wives tales": (1) the North Star is the brightest star in the sky; (2) the Earth is closest to the Sun in the summer; (3) the Sun is straight up at Noon; (4) the sun always rises due east. (Simply negating the verb is not a sufficient response).
I. Politics and/or personalities frequently play a role in the development of science. Cite at least four examples, classical and contemporary, where such has been the case, and assess whether the impact has been positive or negative.
WORTH 5 POINTS
J. State Kepler's 2nd and 3rd Laws. What exactly do they mean in colloquial terms? How do they differ?
K. Describe and use diagrams to show how Eratosthenes measured the circumference of the earth.
L. Describe what is meant by helical rising or setting.
M. Describe some of the differences between dates attributed to the astronomical and astrological constellations of the zodiac. Why are they different?
N. Sketch the position of the Big Dipper relative to the North Star and the northern horizon at the start of each season.
O. Explain retrograde motion of the planets from a Ptolemic and from a Keplerian point of view. Use diagrams as necessary.
P. What were Aristotle's 3 arguments to prove that the earth is round?
Q. There are approximately 5-6 more days from the spring equinox to the fall equinox than from the fall equinox to the spring equinox. In other words, winter is shorter than summer. How would Kepler have used his laws to explain this?
R. What is the meaning of the term "solstice"? What is its literal meaning? What is the significance of this term when describing the apparent motion of the sun along the ecliptic?
S. Give two proofs of the Earth's rotation/revolution other than space based observation.
T. Describe the significance of Galileo's observations.
U. Why would planets never appear near the North Star?
V. Answer the Trivial Pursuit Question: Which pole of the Earth gets the most sunlight? Explain why, using Kepler's Laws.
W. Why is the European Space Agency's launch facility in South America?
X. Towards what do the arrows leading away from the Big Dipper point?
I. II. III.
Y. Explain the humor on the comic star map. Pick at least four examples
and tell what the real constellation, star name or terms are.
