1 The path of the Sun around the celestial sphere is called the celestial equator
zodiac
x ecliptic
solar orbit
none of these
2 Time measured relative to the positions of the fixed stars is called
x sidereal time
synodic time
stellar time
inertial time
none of these
3 The Vernal Equinox occurs in
Fall
Summer
Winter
x Spring
any one of these
4 The seasons on Earth are a direct consequence of
x the tilt of the Earth's axis toward or away from the Sun
the Earth's climatic changes
tidal forces from the Sun
change in distance of the Earth from the Sun
none of these
5 Solar and lunar eclipses do not occur every month because
x the Moon's orbital plane is not coincident with the plane of the ecliptic
the Moon is much smaller than the Sun
the Moon's orbit is not a perfect circle around the Earth
the Sun is much further away than the Moon
none of these
6 What major contribution to astronomy was made by Tycho Brahe?
He discovered that the planets move around the Sun in elliptical orbits
He used a telescope to observe the heavens, thereby reinforcing the notion of heliocentricity
x He made extensive and detailed observations of the positions of the planets
He said that the Earth is not at the center of the universe
none of these
7 Which of the following is a property of parallax?
It is a method of measuring the length of microscopic objects
x It is inversely proportional to an object's distance
It is only useful for remote objects in space
It is an ancient method of finding distances, no longer useful today
none of these
8 The calendar has leap years because
x the synodic day does not divide evenly into the tropical year
the Earth's orbit is not a perfect circle
the Earth's axis slowly precesses
the Moon is increasing the Earth's day
none of these
9 Kepler's Second Law can be used to predict that
planets have inertial mass
the period of asteroids is between the period of Mars and Jupiter
planets have elliptical orbits
x comets move faster nearer the Sun
none of these
10 What is the range of values that the coordinate declination can have?
0 to 180 degrees
x -90 to +90 degrees
0 to 24 hours
0 to 360 degrees
none of these
11 If a satellite of the Earth in circular orbit of given radius were sent to four times this radius, its period would
quadruple
be determined by its mass
x be eight times as long
double
none of these
12 The time for an object to spin about its axis exactly 360 degrees is its rotational
progression
x period
procession
precession
none of these
13 The coordinate on the celestial sphere corresponding to longitude on the Earth is
x right ascension
altitude
declination
azimuth
none of these
14 The Ptolemaic model of the universe
is the basis of our modern cosmology
describes the orbits of the planets as ellipses
x explained and predicted the motions of the planets to some degree
all of these
none of these
15 The parallax of a nearby star might be
0.06 arc minutes
0.03 degrees
x 0.7 arc seconds
none of these
any one of these
16 The following is NOT a name for the measure of an angle
x parsec
radian
arc second
arc minute
grad
17 The time of year when the Sun appears to rise exactly due east and set exactly due west is known as a
solstice
solace
x equinox
paradox
none of these
18 What was one of the major contributions made to astronomy by Johannes Kepler?
He said that the Earth is not at the center of the universe
He developed a theory of gravity that could explain planetary motion
He made extensive and detailed observations of the positions of planets
x He discovered that the planets move around the Sun in elliptical orbits
none of these
19 The angular shift of an object relative to distant ones when viewed from two different locations is known as
an optical illusion
lateral motion
retrograde motion
x parallax
none of these
20 The sidereal day is 4 minutes shorter than 24 hours because of
x the Earth's motion around the Sun
the Sun's rotation on its own axis
the relative motion of the stars
the Moon's effect on the Earth
none of these
21 Astronomers have NOT used triangulation to determine the distance to
Venus
the star Alpha Centauri
the moon
x Andromeda Galaxy
all of these
22 Newton's Second Law predicts
x Kepler's laws
Black holes
for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction
bodies must have a force to keep them moving
none of these
23 Polaris, the North Star, does not appear to move in the sky from hour to hour because
it is too nearby for its motion to be discernible
x it lies approximately over the North Pole of the Earth
the stars are fixed relative to each other
it is located directly overhead for everyone on Earth
none of these
24 The size and shape of the Earth
x was known with fair accuracy to certain early Greek thinkers
was never even approximated until after 1500 AD
was first measured by Kepler
still is not known for certain
none of these
25 The Newtonian force of gravity acting on the moon of a planet does NOT depend on
the distance from the center of the planet
the mass of the moon
the mass of the planet
x the radius of the planet
all of these
26 A total solar eclipse will occur
only at the Earth's equator
only when the moon is full
somewhere on Earth each month
x only when the moon is new
none of these
27 Tidal forces on the Earth account for
the phases of the moon
the tilt of the Earth's axis relative to the ecliptic
the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit
x the precession of the equinoxes
none of these
28 Retrograde motion of some planets is observed
from the heliocentric view
x from the geocentric view
is a fictitious motion due to optical illusions
when time no longer progresses forward
none of these
29 Our Moon always faces the Earth can be accounted for by
how the Moon was first formed
x tidal forces from the Earth
gravitational forces from the Sun
collisions by meteroids onto the Moon
none of these
30 The force of the Earth and the Moon on a spacecraft will be the same
half way between these bodies
with a distance from the Earth in ratio of the Earth to the Moon's mass times the Earth-Moon distance
with a distance from the Earth in ratio of the Moon to the Earth's mass times the Earth-Moon distance
x at a point beyond the far side of the Moon
nowhere in space