Question 1

During a solar eclipse, the _____ casts a small circular shadow on the ____.

Accepted Answer

A)   Moon; Earth
B)   Sun; Moon
C)   Earth; Sun
D)   Moon; Sun
E)   Earth; MoonF) B) and C)
G) C) and E)

Question 2

Why do the constellations that are visible in the sky at night change with the seasons?

Accepted Answer

A)   because the celestial sphere revolves around Earth
B)   because Earth is a sphere
C)   because Earth rotates about an axis
D)   because Earth revolves around the SunE) A) and D)
F) B) and D)

Question 3

Which phase of the moon do you expect to see high in the sky at 6:00 P.M.?

Accepted Answer

A)   the first quarter
B)   the new moon
C)   the full moon
D)   the third quarterE) A) and D)
F) A) and B)

Question 4

Solar eclipses can occur during ____.

Accepted Answer

A)   the new moon
B)   the full moon
C)   the waning crescent moon
D)   the waxing crescent moon
E)   any phase of the moonF) A) and B)
G) D) and E)

Question 5

Constellations are _________.

Accepted Answer

A)   fixed patterns of stars on the celestial sphere
B)   groups of stars that are close to each other in space
C)   stars that neither rise nor set
D)   stars representing the path of the Sun through the sky
E)   animals that look like groupings of starsF) C) and D)
G) A) and D)

Question 6

Which of the following statement(s)  describes the ecliptic?

Accepted Answer

A)   the path of the Moon on the celestial sphere
B)   the extension of Earth's equator on the celestial sphere
C)   the extension of Earth's path on the celestial sphere
D)   the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphereE) A) and D)
F) A) and C)

Question 7

Over the course of a single night, stars move overhead due to _________.

Accepted Answer

A)   their motion around Earth
B)   the rotation of Earth on its axis
C)   the motion of the Sun around the galaxy
D)   the rotation of the celestial sphere
E)   the tilt of Earth's axisF) C) and D)
G) A) and D)

Question 8

Are the Sun and the Moon ever above the horizon at the same time?

Accepted Answer

A)   yes, always
B)   yes, sometimes
C)   no, never
D)   the moon always rises as the sun setsE) A) and D)
F) None of the above

Question 9

At the North Pole, the vernal equinox Sun ________________.

Accepted Answer

A)   circles the pole along the horizon
B)   circles the pole 23.5 degrees above the horizon
C)   circles the pole 23.5 degrees below the horizon
D)   is directly overhead for the entire day
E)   rises north of east and sets north of westF) A) and D)
G) A) and C)

Question 10

Eclipses generally occur in pairs, with a solar eclipse about _________ before or after a lunar eclipse.

Accepted Answer

A)   a day
B)   a week
C)   2 weeks
D)   a month
E)   2 monthsF) All of the above
G) B) and C)

Question 11

What is the celestial sphere?

Accepted Answer

A)   an observatory dome
B)   the Sun
C)   Earth
D)   the imaginary sphere of the sky, on which stars lieE) B) and C)
F) C) and D)

Question 12

The star nearest the North Celestial Pole is ____.

Accepted Answer

A)   Vega
B)   Thuban
C)   Denebola
D)   Polaris
E)   MizarF) D) and E)
G) B) and C)

Question 13

The annual motion of Earth around the Sun is called ____.

Accepted Answer

A)   revolution
B)   precession
C)   annualization
D)   rotation
E)   constellationF) A) and E)
G) A) and D)

Question 14

Which phase of the moon do you expect to see rising at dawn?

Accepted Answer

A)   full moon
B)   first quarter
C)   waning crescent
D)   third quarterE) C) and D)
F) All of the above

Question 15

An annular eclipse

Accepted Answer

A)   is a solar eclipse that happens every November.
B)   occurs when the Moon's shadow does not completely reach Earth during a solar eclipse.
C)   is a lunar eclipse that happens every November.
D)   occurs when Earth's shadow does not completely reach the Moon during a lunar eclipse.E) A) and B)
F) A) and C)

Question 16

If the Moon sets at 10 A.M. today, approximately what time did the Moon set yesterday?

Accepted Answer

A)   10:04 A.M.
B)   9:56 A.M.
C)   10:50 A.M.
D)   9:10 A.M.E) A) and B)
F) All of the above

Question 17

Lunar eclipses do not occur every full Moon, because the path of the ____ is tilted relative to the _____.

Accepted Answer

A)   Earth; ecliptic
B)   Moon; ecliptic
C)   Sun; ecliptic
D)   Moon; equatorE) All of the above
F) B) and C)

Question 18

Suppose that Earth's spin would suddenly reverse direction, but the direction of Earth's motion around the Sun was preserved. Which of the following changes would you expect to observe?

Accepted Answer

A)   The Sun would rise in the west and set in the east.
B)   The stars would rise in the west and set in the east.
C)   The planets would rise in the west and set in the east.
D)   All of these would be observed.
E)   None of these choices is correct.F) A) and B)
G) A) and E)

Question 19

The Northern Hemisphere is warmer in its summer months because _________.

Accepted Answer

A)   Earth is closer to the Sun during this time
B)   the Sun is in the sky for a longer period of time
C)   the Sun is more directly overhead during this time
D)   the Sun is in the sky for a longer period of time and the Sun is more directly overhead during this time
E)   Earth is closer to the Sun during this time and the Sun is in the sky for a longer period of timeF) A) and E)
G) A) and B)

Question 20

There are constellations that are not visible for observers living in North America.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Exam 1: The Cycles of the Sky

If the Moon sets at 10 A.M. today, approximately what time did the Moon set yesterday?

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What is the celestial sphere?

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During a solar eclipse, the _____ casts a small circular shadow on the ____.

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Which phase of the moon do you expect to see rising at dawn?

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The star nearest the North Celestial Pole is ____.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

At the North Pole, the vernal equinox Sun ________________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Lunar eclipses do not occur every full Moon, because the path of the ____ is tilted relative to the _____.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Why do the constellations that are visible in the sky at night change with the seasons?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Suppose that Earth's spin would suddenly reverse direction, but the direction of Earth's motion around the Sun was preserved. Which of the following changes would you expect to observe?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Solar eclipses can occur during ____.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

An annular eclipse

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Constellations are _________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The annual motion of Earth around the Sun is called ____.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Over the course of a single night, stars move overhead due to _________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which of the following statement(s) describes the ecliptic?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Which phase of the moon do you expect to see high in the sky at 6:00 P.M.?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Eclipses generally occur in pairs, with a solar eclipse about _________ before or after a lunar eclipse.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

The Northern Hemisphere is warmer in its summer months because _________.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

Are the Sun and the Moon ever above the horizon at the same time?

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

There are constellations that are not visible for observers living in North America.

Correct AnswerverifiedShow Answer

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During a solar eclipse, the _ casts a small circular shadow on the .

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Lunar eclipses do not occur every full Moon, because the path of the is tilted relative to the _.

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