Solar Astronomy Final Exam

HS Astronomy - Semester 1

What's the difference between rotation, precession, and revolution?

Rotation refers to the spinning of a planet on its axis, causing day and night. Precession is the slow, wobbling motion of a planet's axis, which changes its orientation over time. Revolution, on the other hand, is the planet's movement around the Sun in an elliptical orbit, determining the length of a year.

ecleptic

The __________ is the imaginary line in space that represents the apparent path of the Sun as seen from Earth.

When would a lunar eclipse occur?

A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon, casting a shadow on the Moon. It can only happen during a full moon phase.

When would a solar eclipse occur?

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, casting a shadow on Earth's surface. It can only happen during a new moon phase, when the Moon is perfectly aligned with the Sun.

sidereal month

A __________ is the time it takes for the Moon to complete one orbit around the Earth.

What time is it when a first quarter is directly above an observer on Earth?

When a first quarter is directly above an observer on Earth, it is approximately sunset.

east; west

Stars in the sky rise in the ___ and set in the ___.

What is the north star's altitude if our latitude is 66 degrees north?

The north star's altitude is equal to our latitude, so if our latitude is 66 degrees north, the north star's altitude will also be 66 degrees.

Write a true of false question for All the stars in a constellation are the same distance from Earth.

False