Astronomy quizzes

This term is used to describe rocks on the Earth of extra-terrestrial origin

Meteorite

In Southern Australia, the Sun will reach the highest point in the sky closest to this date.

December solstice

The Ecliptic is another term for the Celestial Equator. A line in the sky directly above the Earth's equator

False

Ancient Greeks inferred the spherical Earth by observing

The shadow of the Earth during every lunar eclipse

On December 21st, locations north of the Arctic circle will experience

24 hours of darkness

The term used to describe the slow change in the orientation of the Earth's axis

precession

What is the name given to the path of the Sun and planets across the celestial sphere?

Ecliptic

This number represents the period (time) of the Earth's revolution.

365.25

The angular altitude of Polaris (the north star) when viewed from the northern hemisphere is equal to

The observer's latitude

During which season (in the US) is the Earth closest to the sun?

Winter

On or about March 21st the sun will shine directly on the

Equator

Which of the following is NOT a classification of meteorites?

Tektite

Perihelion (when the Earth is close to the Sun) occurs in which Northern Hemisphere Season?

Winter

In the continental US, the Sun will reach the highest point in the sky closest to this date

Summer solstice

On December 21st locations south of the Antarctic circle will experience

24 hours of light

Which of the following are NOT units smaller than a degree?

an hour

Debris deposited globally in the geologic record at the end of the Cretaceous period was enriched in this element supporting the hypothesis of an asteroid impact leading to the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs.

Iridium

Which of the following may be used to determine if a crater was formed from asteroid impact rather than volcanic eruption?

ALL

Glass from melted rocks, High pressure minerals, Shatter cones, Enrichment of rare earth metals

On this day the Sun will shine directly on the tropic of Cancer.

June solstice

What is the point on the celestial sphere above the Earth's axis of rotation?

Celestial pole

The grid system used to indicate locations in the sky

Right Ascension and Declination

Aphelion (when the Earth is furthest from the Sun) occurs closest to which calendar date?

July 4th

​​During this type of eclipse one edge of the Moon may appear to dim slightly

Penumbral lunar

This term is used to describe a partial shadow of an object:

Penumbra

Lunar eclipses may happen each month when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun

False

This is the term used to describe the complete shadow of an object:

Umbra

This type of eclipse only happened during a new moon.

Total solar

Select the conditions necessary for an annular solar eclipse

New moon at apogee

Lunar eclipse can only happen during this phase of the moon.

Full

Which statement correctly describes the term "node" as it applies to orbits and eclipses.

The node is the point where the plane of the Moon's orbit around Earth intersects the plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun

Select the conditions necessary for a total solar eclipse

new moon at perigee

What is the point on the celestial sphere directly above an observer?

Zenith

Which planet could NEVER be seen on the meridian at midnight?

Mercury

The TWO primary reasons for the Earth to experience warmer summertime temperature.

Longer days, more direct sun angle

From your experience with simulations, which of the following will NOT affect impact crater size?

(All) Projectile velocity, Projectile mass, Impact angle, Projectile Density

Meteorites are frequently magnetic

True

The length of the sidereal day (one exact rotation of the Earth) is precisely 24 hours.

False

As seen from your current location, when will an upright flagpole cast no shadow because the Sun is directly above the flagpole?

Never from your current location

What is the North/South line that passes directly above an observer and extends to each horizon?

Meridian

What time does the new moon set?

6 PM

If the moon was rising at 3 AM what does it look like?

Waning crescent

What time is the third quarter moon on the meridian?

6 AM

What time does the first quarter moon set?

Midnight

If the moon was setting at 6 AM, what does it look like?

Full moon

What time does the full moon rise?

6 pm

What time does the third quarter moon set?

Noon

Lunar eclipses may happen each month when the Moon is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun.

False

Select the conditions necessary for an annual solar eclipse

New moon at apogee

Which of the following would make you weigh half as much as you do right now?

Take away half of the Earth's mass

The force of gravity on an object may best be described by this property

Weight

The apparent backward motion of the planets in their path across the sky

Retrograde

This term describes the incorrect Earth centered solar system

Geocentric

This statement: "A line segment connecting a planet and the Sun will sweep sectors of equal area in equal time."

Kepler's second law

Kepler proposed that the planets orbit the sun in this geometric path.

Ellipse

This law of motion indicates the shape of planetary orbits.

Kepler's first law

This Astronomer/Astrologer made many careful measurements of the stars and planets, his student went on to establish planetary motion.

Tycho

In the second century this astronomer used self designed tools to accurately measure the position of stars and create an accurate star map.

Hipparchus

What time does the full moon reach the meridian?

Midnight

What time does the new moon set?

6 PM

With no change in mass, according to Newton's law of Gravity, if the distance of a planet from the Sun tripled, the force of gravity would ...

Decrease by 9 times

Rocket propulsion (hot gasses being ejected from a nozzle at high speed) producing thrust is an example of this law of motion.)

Newton's third law

This law of motion established a mathematical relationship between the distance and the orbital period of planets.

Kepler's third law

Which of the following was NOT an important assumption made by Eratosthenes?

The Earth is an oblate spheroid

This law of motion indicates that an object at rest will stay at rest and an object in motion will stay in motion unless acted on by an external force.

Newton's first law

The Geometric principle that was essential to Eratosthenes' calculation

Alternate interior angles are congruent

This Italian astronomer built and used a telescope to observe the Sun, Moon, planets and stars.

Galileo

Using Geometry, this scientist was the first to measure the circumference of the Earth.

Eratosthenes

With evidence of volcanoes, a rocky surface, large fields of sand dunes, and sedimentary rocks, this planet has the most identified similarities to Earth.

Mars

This planet orbits the Sun in approximately 3 months at a distance less than half of the distance between the Sun and Earth.

Mercury

Which of the following is NOT believed to be part of the internal heat source for planets?

Nuclear fusion

Cyclonic (spinning) storms and weather systems have been detected on all of these planets except

Mercury

Of the terrestrial planets, this planet has the thickest atmosphere. (Greatest atmospheric pressure)

Venus

Few large impact craters are found on Venus. The leading hypothesis for this observation is:

Recent volcanism has covered impact history

Strong geologic evidence for running water has been detected on these two terrestrial planets.

Mars and Earth

Regarding the three terrestrial planet moons. The terrestrial planets with moons are:

Earth and Mars

Which of the following terrestrial bodies do NOT show evidence of volcanism?

All (mercury, venus, earth, mars)

This planet located 1.5 A.U. from the Sun has a rotation period slightly greater than 24 hours.

Mars

All of the following are part of the 2006 definition of a planet EXCEPT

The object maintains a distance of 1 AU from the Sun

Which atmospheric component is NOT significant as a "green-house" or atmospheric warming gas?

Argon

All of the following are considered Terrestrial planets EXCEPT

Titan

This terrestrial planet has the highest density leading astronomers to believe that it has a large core relative to the size of the planet.

Mercury

Unlike all of the other planets, this planet rotates clockwise when viewed from the north pole.

Venus

Carbon Dioxide is a common gas in terrestrial atmospheres typically released by volcanoes. This is not as common in Earth's atmosphere because...

Photosynthesis of green plants has removed carbon dioxide

Due to recent mathematical modeling, it appears likely that the planets were not always in their current configuration. Which planet was likely the most distant from the Sun for the first billion years of the history of the solar system?

Uranus

The Kuiper belt is located:

Beyond the orbit of Neptune

This moon of Saturn is know for active geology with geysers that contribute ice to Saturn's rings.

Enceladus

Geysers of water and ice from this moon have been seen adding material to Saturn's rings.

Enceladus

This statement is NOT true about ring systems:

Ring particles have uniform orbital periods (similar to a LP record inner and outer particles complete orbits at the same rate)

Gravitational interactions between moons and ring particles can change the shape and organization of planetary rings.

True

Near Earth Asteroids Itokawa and Bennu are best described as:

Rubble Piles- conglomeration of rocks weakly held together by gravity

Completing one orbit of the Sun in 84 years, this ringed planet "rolls" around the Sun due to its highly tilted axis.

Uranus

This atmospheric gas is believed to give Uranus and Neptune their distinctive blue/green color

Methane

With more water than found in all of Earth's oceans, this moon of Jupiter is slightly smaller than Earth's Moon.

Europa

This small moon of Mars is thought to be a captured asteroid from the Main Belt group.

Phobos

This moon of Jupiter is known to be the most volcanically active object in the solar system.

Io

Which Jovian planet does NOT have rings?

All have rings

Rain, Rivers and Lake on Titan are likely composed of:

Methane and other hydrocarbons

This evidence supports the hypothesis that the Jovian planets have an electrically conductive liquid interior.

Strong magnetic fields

The cause of the extreme volcanism on Jupiter's moon Io.

Orbital resonance and tidal heating

When visited by the New Horizons space probe in 2015 planetary scientists observed all of the following on the dwarf planet Pluto except:

A heavily cratered surface