Name: 
 

Astronomy Ch 1, 2, & 3


Multiple Choice
Identify the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
 

 1. 
A very large collection of gas, dust, and stars orbiting a common center of mass.
a.
light-year
c.
galaxy
e.
Milky Way Galaxy
b.
Milky Way
d.
spiral arm
 

 2. 
The hypothesis that small changes in Earth’s orbital and rotational motions cause the ice ages.
a.
evening star
c.
morning star
e.
horoscope
b.
aphelion
d.
Milankovitch hypothesis
 

 3. 
A solar or lunar eclipse will occur
a.
when the sun is near the line of nodes of the moon, and the moon is new or full.
b.
any time the moon is new or full.
c.
when the sun is near the solstice, and the moon is new or full.
d.
when the sun is near the equinox, and the moon is new or full.
e.
half-way through an eclipse year.
 

 4. 
The summer solstice (at the start of summer) is the point on the ecliptic where the sun
a.
is farthest south of the celestial equator halting its southward movement.
b.
crosses the celestial equator moving north.
c.
crosses the celestial equator moving south.
d.
is farthest north of the celestial equator halting its northward movement.
 

 5. 
The sun moves ____ along the ecliptic among the stars.
a.
eastward
b.
westward
c.
The sun does not appear to move.
 

 6. 
The names of stars usually come from
a.
ancient Arabic.
b.
ancient English.
c.
Latin.
d.
Russian.
e.
Chinese.
 

 7. 
Average distance from Earth to the sun.
a.
scientific notation
c.
planet
e.
solar system
b.
astronomical unit
d.
star
 

 8. 
The point on the western horizon exactly halfway between the north point and the south point.
a.
west point
c.
second of arc
e.
angular distance
b.
angular diameter
d.
minute of arc
 

 9. 
The ____ is 18 years and 11mc009-1.jpg days long.
a.
synodic period
b.
saros cycle
c.
sidereal period
d.
eclipse season
e.
eclipse year
 

 10. 
The point on the horizon directly below the north celestial pole.
a.
celestial equator
c.
south point
e.
east point
b.
north point
d.
south celestial pole
 

 11. 
When will the full moon be highest above the southern horizon for an observer in the Northern Hemisphere?
a.
at midnight near the summer solstice
b.
at midnight near the vernal equinox
c.
at midnight near the winter solstice
d.
at midnight near the vernal equinox
e.
The angle between the southern horizon and the full moon at midnight does not change with the seasons.
 

 12. 
Bright gases just above the photosphere of the sun.
a.
photosphere
c.
chromosphere
e.
corona
b.
prominences
d.
diamond ring effect
 

 13. 
If the north celestial pole appears on your horizon, what is your latitude?
a.
90° N
b.
90° S
c.
0°
d.
45° N
e.
The latitude of the observer cannot be determined from the information given.
 

 14. 
The portion of a shadow that is only partially shaded.
a.
penumbra
c.
sidereal period
e.
synodic period
b.
lunar eclipse
d.
umbra
 

 15. 
A lunar eclipse in which the moon does not completely enter Earth’s shadow.
a.
penumbral eclipse
c.
partial eclipse
e.
total eclipse
b.
path of totality
d.
small-angle formula
 

 16. 
If the moon enters Earth's shadow but does not reach the umbra, the eclipse is termed
a.
penumbral.
b.
partial.
c.
umbral.
d.
annular.
e.
total.
 

 17. 
An observer on Earth's equator would find
a.
that the ecliptic coincides with the horizon.
b.
Polaris directly overhead.
c.
the celestial equator passing directly overhead.
d.
that the celestial equator coincides with the horizon.
e.
Polaris 40° above the northern horizon.
 

 18. 
The line that marks the apparent intersection of Earth and the sky.
a.
north celestial pole
c.
horizon
e.
zenith
b.
nadir
d.
celestial sphere
 

 19. 
The band around the sky centered on the ecliptic within which the planets move.
a.
horoscope
c.
evening star
e.
zodiac
b.
morning star
d.
aphelion
 

 20. 
A chart showing the positions of the sun, moon, planets, and constellations at the time of a person’s birth.
a.
morning star
c.
aphelion
e.
zodiac
b.
horoscope
d.
evening star
 

 21. 
The system of recording very large or very small numbers by using powers of 10.
a.
star
c.
scientific notation
e.
planet
b.
solar system
d.
astronomical unit
 

 22. 
As seen from the earth, the sun appears to move ____ along the ____ among the stars.
a.
westward, ecliptic
b.
westward, celestial equator
c.
Wrong! The sun does not appear to move among the stars.
d.
eastward, ecliptic
e.
eastward, celestial equator
 

 23. 
The darkening of the moon when it moves through Earth’s shadow.
a.
sidereal period
c.
synodic period
e.
umbra
b.
lunar eclipse
d.
penumbra
 

 24. 
The synodic period of the moon
a.
is about 27.32 days long.
b.
is the period of time for the moon to orbit Earth once with respect to the stars.
c.
is the period of time between successive eclipses at a given location on Earth.
d.
is the period of time from when the moon rises until the moon rises again the next night.
e.
none of the above
 

 25. 
Any planet visible in the sky just before sunrise.
a.
zodiac
c.
evening star
e.
morning star
b.
aphelion
d.
horoscope
 

 26. 
When it is winter in the northern hemisphere, it is ____ in the southern hemisphere.
a.
spring
b.
fall
c.
summer
d.
winter
 

 27. 
The average distance from Earth to the sun is
a.
1 billion km
b.
1 AU
c.
1 million miles
d.
1 ly
e.
1 million km
 

 28. 
The brightness of a star as seen by human eyes on Earth.
a.
scientific model
c.
magnitude scale
e.
apparent visual magnitude
b.
asterism
d.
constellation
 

 29. 
A constellation must consist of a number of stars, all
a.
at the same distance from the Earth.
b.
Wrong! Constellations are made of planets only.
c.
within a boundary in the same general angular area of the sky.
d.
at various different distances from the Earth.
 

 30. 
The orbital point of greatest distance from Earth.
a.
annular eclipse
c.
nodes
e.
perigee
b.
eclipse season
d.
apogee
 

 31. 
The point on the horizon directly above the south celestial pole.
a.
south celestial pole
c.
north point
e.
east point
b.
south point
d.
celestial equator
 

 32. 
A momentary phenomenon seen during some total solar ecilpses when the ring of the corona and a bright spot of photosphere resemble a large diamond set in a silvery ring.
a.
prominences
c.
photosphere
e.
corona
b.
diamond ring effect
d.
chromosphere
 

 33. 
A solar eclipse in which the moon completely covers the bright surface of the sun.
a.
small-angle formula
c.
total eclipse
e.
path of totality
b.
penumbral eclipse
d.
partial eclipse
 

 34. 
The point on the bottom of the sky directly under your feet.
a.
horizon
c.
celestial sphere
e.
north celestial pole
b.
nadir
d.
zenith
 

 35. 
The first quarter moon rises
a.
at sunset.
b.
at about noon.
c.
during the second week of each calendar month.
d.
at about midnight.
e.
at sunrise.
 

 36. 
The spiral galaxy containing the sun.
a.
galaxy
c.
spiral arm
e.
light-year
b.
Milky Way Galaxy
d.
Milky Way
 

 37. 
A solar eclipse occurs when
a.
the sun passes between Earth and Earth's moon.
b.
Earth passes between the Earth's moon and the sun.
c.
the Earth's moon passes between Earth and the sun.
 

 38. 
The point on the sky directly overhead.
a.
zenith
c.
nadir
e.
celestial sphere
b.
north celestial pole
d.
horizon
 

 39. 
The saros cycle
a.
is 18 years, 11mc039-1.jpg days long.
b.
comes from a Greek word that means repetition.
c.
was used in ancient times to predict eclipses.
d.
all of the above
e.
none of the above
 

 40. 
A celestial object composed of gas held together by its own gravity and supported by nuclear fusion occurring in its interior.
a.
star
c.
planet
e.
scientific notation
b.
astronomical unit
d.
solar system
 

 41. 
If the nearest star is 4.2 light-years away, then
a.
the star is 4.2 million AU away.
b.
the light we see left the star 4.2 years ago.
c.
the star must have formed 4.2 billion years ago.
d.
the star must be very young.
e.
the star must be very old.
 

 42. 
An imaginary line around the sky directly above Earth’s equator.
a.
nadir
c.
zenith
e.
north celestial pole
b.
celestial sphere
d.
horizon
 

 43. 
Although the constellations originated in Greek and Middle Eastern mythology, the names are
a.
English.
b.
Latin.
c.
Russian.
d.
Chinese.
e.
German.
 

 44. 
The point on the eastern horizon exactly halfway between the north point and the south point.
a.
east point
c.
celestial equator
e.
north point
b.
south celestial pole
d.
south point
 

 45. 
The track of the moon’s umbral shadow over Earth’s surface.
a.
small-angle formula
c.
penumbral eclipse
e.
partial eclipse
b.
total eclipse
d.
path of totality
 

 46. 
The ____ moon is visible above the western horizon a couple of hours before sunrise.
a.
waxing gibbous
b.
waning gibbous
c.
waxing crescent
d.
waning crescent
e.
new
 

 47. 
One of the stellar patterns identified by name, usually of mythological gods, people, animals, or objects.
a.
magnitude scale
c.
constellation
e.
asterism
b.
apparent visual magnitude
d.
scientific model
 

 48. 
____is the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Majoris.
a.
Wrong! Ursa Majoris is the name of the brightest star.
b.
b Ursa Majoris
c.
g Ursa Majoris
d.
a Ursa Majoris
 

 49. 
At the time of the winter solstice (the start of winter) the sunlight is at a lower angle and thus is ____ than(as) in the start of summer.
a.
the same intensity
b.
less intense
c.
more intense
 

 50. 
The orbital point of greatest distance.
a.
morning star
c.
aphelion
e.
zodiac
b.
evening star
d.
horoscope
 



 
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