Astro Final Part 3
How long is the period of precession? 52 seconds 36,780 years 25,780 years 36,000 years
25,780 years
If the Moon is in transit tonight at 8 p.m., where would you expect the Moon to be two days later at 8 p.m.? 26.2 degrees to the east, with respect to the background stars 29 degrees to the west with respect to the horizon 48 minutes before transit 5 degrees to the east with respect to the horizon
26.2 degrees to the east, with respect to the background stars
How long do you have to wait until the moon transits at 9:00 pm again if you saw it in transit tonight at 9:00 p.m.?
30 days
How long do you have to wait until the sun and the star Alpheratz appear to be separated by 30 degrees if they both went through transit today at 12:00 p.m.?
30 days
If Jupiter was in transit tonight at 8:00 p.m., where should it be two hours later? 30 degrees further to the west with respect to the horizon 2 degrees further to the west with respect to the horizon 30 degrees further to the east with respect to the horizon 2 degrees further to the east with respect to the horizon
30 degrees further to the west with respect to the horizon
If the sidereal time is 5 hours tonight at 8 p.m. What is the sidereal time going to be at 8 p.m. tomorrow?
4 hours 56 minutes 5 hours 6 hours 5 hours 4 minutes
If the sidereal time is 5 hours, what will the sidereal time be in 3 hours? 2 hours 8 hours 5 hours 5 hours 12 minutes
8 hours
If I go out tonight and see the moon transiting at 8:00 p.m., what time will the moon be in transit tomorrow night? 8:04 p.m. 7:56 p.m. 8:48 p.m. 7:08 p.m.
8:48
The Moon's sidereal and synodic periods would be identical if not for what? As the Moon is orbiting the Earth, the Earth is simultaneously orbiting the Sun The Moon's orbit is tilted with respect to the ecliptic As the Moon orbits the Earth, the Earth is rotating The Moon is not always at a 'node'
As the Moon is orbiting the Earth, the Earth is simultaneously orbiting the Sun
If Mars were in transit tonight at 8 p.m., where might you expect it to be in two months at 8 p.m.? Further to the east with respect to the stars, unless it was in retrograde Further to the west with respect to the stars, unless it was in retrograde 60 degree further to the west with respect to the stars, unless it was in retrograde About 5 degrees further to the east with respect to the horizon
Further to the east with respect to the stars, unless it was in retrograde
Which of the following was discovered at the Royal Greenwich Observatory? Saturn Pluto Uranus Neptune
Uranus
Which of the following planets can be at inferior conjunction? Saturn Jupiter Mars Venus
Venus
If you are witnessing a total solar eclipse, what must be true? You are standing in the umbral shadow of the Sun You are standing in the penumbral shadow of the Moon You are standing in the umbral shadow of the Moon You are standing in the umbral shadow of the Earth
You are standing in the umbral shadow of the Moon
When Venus is at superior conjunction, it is also... in retrograde a superior planet at opposition visible in the sky after sunset
at opposition
Which of the following is true during an annular solar eclipse? the Moon is further from Earth than for a total solar eclipse the nodes are not correctly aligned the Moon is closer to earth than for a total solar eclipse the Moon is a full moon
the Moon is further from Earth than for a total solar eclipse
Which of the following best describes why a neap tide occurs? the Moon is further away from the Earth then usual the Moon and Sun are adding their gravitational pulls constructively the Moon is closer to Earth than usual the angle between the Moon and Sun is 90 degrees, hence they are not constructively adding their gravitational pulls along a common line
the angle between the Moon and Sun is 90 degrees, hence they are not constructively adding their gravitational pulls along a common line
Hipparchus found that the Earth was spinning the period of precession is 26,000 years the NCP was moving in space the first sign of the zodiac had moved
the first sign of the zodiac had moved
What are the coordinates of the autumnal equinox? 18 hr 0 m 0 s, -23.5 degrees 0 hr 0 m 0 s, 0 degrees 12 hr 0 m 0 s, 0 degrees 6 hr 0 m 0 s, 23.5 degrees
12 hr 0 m 0 s, 0 degrees
If the high tide today occurs at 1 p.m., when would you expect high tide tomorrow? 1:48 p.m. 1:04 p.m. 12:56 p.m. 12:12 p.m.
1:48 p.m.
How long do you have to wait until the sun is 30 degrees past transit if you see the sun in transit today at 12:00 pm.?
2 hours
How long do you have to wait until the moon is 30 degrees past transit if you saw it in transit tonight at 9:00 p.m.?
2 hours and 4 minutes
When Venus is at greatest elongation, that means... It is the furthest angular distance from the Sun as seen from Earth It appears as a morning star It is closest to the Sun as seen from Earth It is the furthest distance from Earth
It is the furthest angular distance from the Sun as seen from Earth
In which direction should one look to see a last quarter Moon at midnight? It will be setting in the west It should be in transit It will be rising in the east In the southwestern sky, between the celestial meridian and cardinal pt. west
It will be rising in the east
What is the approximate date of the vernal equinox? June 21 December 21 September 22 March 21
March 21
Which of the following is NOT a dwarf planet? Eris Haumea Pluto Mars
Mars
Which planet has the shortest sidereal period? Neptune Uranus Jupiter Mars
Mars
Which of the following has the correct order of planets in increasing distance from the Sun? Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus Mars, Venus, Mercury, Jupiter Venus, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus
Mercury, Mars, Saturn, Uranus
The difference in the discovery of Neptune and Pluto as compared to the other planets is... They were discovered by accident Methodical, calculated searches were carried out They were mistaken as comets There is no difference
Methodical, calculated searches were carried out
Which of the following is NOT a naked-eye planet? Mercury Neptune Mars Saturn
Neptune
Which planet has the shortest synodic period? Neptune Uranus Jupiter Mars
Neptune
What phase must the Moon be in order for there to be a total solar eclipse? First quarter Last quarter Full Moon New Moon
New Moon
What do we call the intersections of the Moon's orbit with the ecliptic? nodes cusps terminators equinoxes
Nodes
Which of the following is NOT a result of the Moon's elliptical orbit? The Moon's non-uniform motion Annular solar eclipses Spring Tides Why we don't see lunar eclipses every month
Spring Tides
The meridian altitude of the Sun is a maximum on what day (at DVC)? Vernal equinox Summer solstice Winter solstice Autumnal equinox
Summer solstice
The calendar we "live by" for civil purposes is called... The Gregorian Calendar The Julian Calendar The Lunar-Solar Calendar The Solar Calendar
The Gregorian Calendar
At opposition, which statement is NOT true: The planets are in the middle of retrograde motion The planets are as close to Earth as they can be The planets shine their brightest The elongation of a superior planet is 0 degrees.
The Planets shine their brightest
What defines the ecliptic? projection of the earth's equator onto the celestial sphere The apparent motion of the Sun on the celestial sphere The apparent motion of the moon on the celestial sphere 90 degrees from the zenith
The apparent motion of the Sun on the celestial sphere
The time zones of the continental United States reflect the fact that... Earth revolves 1 degree per day around the Sun It is easy to predict where time zone boundaries lie The sun moves apparently 15 degrees per hour to the west More Americans live on the east coast vs. the west coast
The sun moves apparently 15 degrees per hour to the west
Which best describes why we have two high tides every day? There are two bulges of water on the Earth; one directed at the Moon and one directed at the Sun There are two bulges of water on the Earth created by the Moon pulling harder on the 'nearer' side of the Earth vs. the 'further' side of the Earth. Any point on Earth rotates through both bulges in one day. The Moon revolves around the Earth twice per day Earth rotates through the bulge of water created by the Moon twice per day
There are two bulges of water on the Earth created by the Moon pulling harder on the 'nearer' side of the Earth vs. the 'further' side of the Earth. Any point on Earth rotates through both bulges in one day.
The sun's annual motion during the year relative to the stars is about per day. west; 13.1 degrees west; 1 degree east; 13.1 degrees east; 1 degree
east; 1 degree
The moon's apparent path across the sky is called the lunar highway is within 5 degrees of the ecliptic is within 5 degrees of the celestial equator is called the lunatic
is within 5 degrees of the ecliptic
Retrograde motion is NOT... Experienced by the inferior planets motion from the west to the east with respect to the stars Experienced by the outer planets Due to a changing line of sight between two planets
motion from the west to the east with respect to the stars
The two "abnormal" motions planets exhibit are non-uniform motion and stopping non-uniform motion and irregularity non-uniform motion and retrograde retrograde and irregularity
non-uniform motion and retrograde
When the sun transits, what time is it locally? dawn midnight dusk noon
noon
The vernal equinox point in space is defined by where the moon and the sun's paths intersect the intersection of the celestial equator and the ecliptic where the sun's declination is changing from negative to positive. the intersection of the celestial equator and the ecliptic where the sun's declination is changing from positive to negative. the intersection of the celestial equator and the horizon
the intersection of the celestial equator and the ecliptic where the sun's declination is changing from negative to positive.
What is the definition of the solar year? the time for the sun to rotate once the time for the vernal equinox to precess once around the entire sky. the time for the sun to move from the vernal equinox back to the vernal equinox again. 365 days exactly
the time for the sun to move from the vernal equinox back to the vernal equinox again.
We don't see an eclipse every month because the tides are not high enough Earth's magnetic field there is not a correct alignment of nodes the Moon is too far from earth
there is not a correct alignment of nodes
Where in the sky are most of the planets (excluding dwarfs) located? they are all within a few degrees of the celestial equator they are all within a few degrees of each other they are all within a few degrees of the ecliptic They are scattered randomly throughout the sky
they are all within a few degrees of the ecliptic