AST 201 Final Study Questions
The planets follow a path very close to the ecliptic. According to the reading by Williamson, where do they appear in the sky?
. High in the night sky during the winter, lower in the sky during the summer
According to Zeilik (1985), what is the mean difference between actual (astronomical) and celebratory dates for the Hopi and Zuni winter and summer solstices?
1.6 days
According to Williamson & Farrer 1994, Native American calendar keepers had problems reconciling the solar and lunar calendars. How much shorter is 12 periods of the lunar month than the solar (tropical) year?
11.24 days
According to the lecture powerpoint slides and "Eclipses and the Saros", the periodicity and recurrence of eclipses are governed by the Saros Cycle. Approximately how long is this cycle?
18 years, 11 days, 8 hours
According to Aveni (1997), the Sun passes through the zenith at all latitudes between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn how many times each year?
2
According to Zeilik (1985), when does the Zuni pekwin start observations prior to winter solstice?
28 days
According to Miller (1997), how many primary Navajo constellations are there?
8
According to the reading by Magli, Venus extreme declinations have a cycle of how many years?
8 years
According to the lecture slides, in Aztec documents, what was interpreted as the first omen of the Spanish arrival?
A comet
From the reading "American Indian beliefs about the eclipse", according to the Diné people (Navajo) when a solar or lunar eclipse occurs what is believed to happen?
A death occurs
According to Miller (1997), when the Creators made the months, what did they assign to each to announce its arrival?
A feather or headdress
According to Backman and Seeds 2011, how many objects larger than 1 kilometer (km) are likely present in the Kuiper Belt?
About 100 million
According to the lecture notes, what stellar properties are plotted in the Hertzsprung-Russell (HR) diagram?
Absolute Magnitude/Luminosity vs Spectral Type/Temperature
According to the readings by Williamson and Williamson & Farrer, Venus and Mercury appear as morning and evening stars. The outer planets (Mars, Jupiter, Saturn) can be seen where?
Any other position along the ecliptic
According to Miller (1997), when are Navajo ceremonials held?
As needed
According to the reading by Tyler 1964, what do the corn maidens represent?
Basic Food Crops
According to the reading by Backman and Seeds 2011 and the lecture slides, where in the Solar System are most asteroids located?
Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
According to the lecture slides, what do the Navajo believe you should do if you see a shooting star?
Blow in its direction to avoid bad luck
According to the reading by Griffin-Pierce (1992), "Hooghan and the Stars," what did the first people emerging on to earth's surface have to do to bring order into the world?
Build the first hooghan
According to the lecture slides, which tribe interprets shooting stars as a shaman searching for people far from their tribe, stealing their spirit, and sometimes eating them?
Cahuilla
As discussed in the lecture slides, the Aurora Borealis (or northern lights) is a broad display of faint colorful light in the northern skies at night. What is the main cause of these lights?
Charged particles from the Solar Wind enter Earth's atmosphere along magnetic field lines and collide with atmospheric gases, causing them to glow.
According to the lecture slides, who developed a model of planets going around the Sun on circular orbits?
Copernicus
According to the reading by Smithson and Euler 1994, who accompanied Lion to the Sun's house?
Coyote and the Squirrel brothers
According Williamson 1987, what is the origin of Ma'ii Bizo' (Coyote star) in Navajo Legend?
Coyote carefully placed it to the south
According to the lecture powerpoint slides and the western astronomy texts, if the Moon is in full phase setting in the west, approximately what time is it?
Dawn
According to Schulz 2005, which constellation is considered the most highly ordered constellation?
Dilyehe
According to the lecture slides, the ancestors of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde in Oregon revered the large Willamette Meteorite. Which of the following is a practice they carried out?
Dipped arrows in water associated with the meteorite
According to Williamson 1987, the stars are made of crystal and the source of their shine is what?
Each constellation has its own igniter star
According to lecture powerpoint slides and the reading from western astronomy texts, which of the following describes the prevailing western scientific model of the origin of the moon?
Early Collision between proto-Earth and a large object left behind a ring of material that coalesced into the Moon
According to lecture slides, what is the cause of annually recurring meteor showers?
Earth orbits through the debris left from an orbiting comet
According to the encyclopedic entry on Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli, which of the following is a Mayan ruin that shows evidence for alignment with the extreme declination setting position of Venus?
El Caracol
According to the lecture slides, the Aboriginal peoples of Australia saw which animal in the dark cloud constellation of the Milky Way?
Emu
According to Zeilik (1985), what are the two purposes of Puebloan sun watching?
Establish the religious ceremonial calendar and set the times for specific crop plantings
Based on the reading by O'Bryan, which of the following characters did NOT play an important role in the Navajo account of the creation of the Sun?
First Man First Woman Coyote Turquoise Boy Black Yei Coyote
According to the chapter by Aveni (1997), what is the job of a Zuni Pekwin?
Follow the horizon position of sunrise as it moves throughout the year from a sun watching station. Keep a calendar on the wall of his house
According to the lecture slides, which of the following solar system models features the planets and Sun revolving around the Earth?
Geocentric Model
Based on the reading by Maryboy and Begay 2010, which 2 features are seen in the photosphere?
Granules and Sunspots
Venus is at its furthest distance from the Sun setting behind it in the evening sky. According to the lecture slides, what position is this called?
Greatest Elongation
According to the reading by Backman and Seeds 2011, which of the following does NOT apply to comets?
Has a nucleus that is composed primarily of iron and rocky materials
According to the reading by Monroe and Williamson (1987), what was Coyote's contribution to the stars in the night sky?
He randomly scattered stars everywhere He place a single star far to the South
According to the reading by Monroe and Williamson (1987), how did Black God demonstrate his power to the other gods of creation?
He stamped his foot 4 times until a small group of stars lodged along his temple
Based on the reading by Maryboy and Begay 2010, the Sun's energy is generated from Hydrogen being fused into which element?
Helium
According to the section on the Great Star Chant in "Navajo Heavens" by Griffin-Pierce 1992, the Star People and specific constellations can also be depicted in sandpaintings in which form?
Human
According to Figure 2.5 in the chapter by Aveni (1997), how does the Sun's daily path change with the seasons in the far Northern Hemisphere?
In summer, the Sun reaches a higher position at solar noon. In winter, the Sun reaches a lower position at solar noon.
According to Aveni (1997), the method of inserting extra days or months into the calendar is called what?
Intercalation
According to Tyler (1984), which of the following is true of the Hopi calendar?
It divides the year into unequal parts Roughly divides the year into winter and summer
According to the Lecture Slides, where in the sky should you look to see Canopus?
Just above the Southern Horizon when the meridian runs between Sirius and Betelgeuse
According to the Big Stars section in "Navajo Heavens" by Griffin-Pierce 1992, when stars are the main theme of the painting, how are they depicted?
Lozenge-shaped or square-bodied Four or eight pointed
According to the lecture notes, the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram contains a line around which the stars present are still burning hydrogen in their cores. What is this line called?
Main Sequence
According to Williamson 1987, Black God reached into his pouch, drew out crystals, and carefully placed them in the sky. He started with which constellation and moved in which direction?
Man with Feet Ajar, Clockwise
Based the reading by O'Bryan 1929, Which tribe imagines the Sun created from a heated piece of turquoise?
Navajo
According to lecture powerpoint slides and the reading from western astronomy texts, what is the order in which lunar phases occur in time, starting with "New Moon?"
New, Waxing Cresent, First Quarter, Waxing Gibbous, Full, Waning Gibbous, Last Quarter, Waning Crescent
As discussed in the lecture powerpoint slides, which effect(s) cause the temperature to drop in northern hemisphere winter?
Nights are longer The Sun is lower in the sky
According to the lecture notes, which Spectral Type represents the most massive stars?
O
Based on the reading by Tyler 1964, the Sun Father had two sons, Paiyatemu and Pautiwa. What were their respective roles?
Paiyatemu was humorous and gave rise to the clown societies; Pautiwa was more serious and gave rise to the Kachina societies.
According to the reading by Magli 2016 and the lecture slides, what is meant by planetary retrograde motion?
Planets appear to temporarily change direction in their movement against the background stars as seen from Earth
According to Monroe and Williamson (1987), the seven stars of Dilyehe are the Hard Flint Boys, who are doing what?
Playing a game of dodge and shoot as they pass through the night sky
According to the encyclopedia entry on Tlahuizcalpantechuhtli and the lecture slides, which two ancient Mesoamerican gods represented each aspect of Venus (morning & evening)?
Quetzalcoatl & Xolotl
According to the lecture slides, what is the name of the point where meteors in a meteor shower appear to originate?
Radiant
According to Schaefer 1996, which of the following is NOT a reason given by the author for why omens seems to provide accurate predictions?
Societies use complicated models to make accurate predictions
As discussed in the lecture slides, which of the following is a traditional Inuit explanation for the Aurora?
Spirits playing football with a walrus skull
According to lecture slides, how do members of the Paiute and Ute tribes interpret a shooting star event?
Star excrement
According to Williamson 1987, the traditional Navajo have a different relationship with the sky than their Pueblo neighbors. What did the Navajo depend on most heavily to regulate their calendar?
Stars
Based on the reading by Smithson and Euler 1994, where did the Sun live according to the Havasupai?
Sunset Crater
According to Monroe and Williamson (1987), upon entering a hogan the appropriate way to enter is by walking in which direction?
Sunwise, to the South
According to the lecture slides, if Venus is at full phase directly behind the Sun as viewed from Earth, the configuration is referred to as which of the following?
Superior Conjunction
Venus takes about 584 days to go through a cycle in which it reappears in its initial configuration as seen from Earth. According to reading by Magli 2016 and the lecture slides, this is called which of the following?
Synodic Period
According to Miller (1997), the Mescalero Apache believe that the Milky Way/Scattered Stars remind them what?
That it is important to get along with one another, lest they contribute to disharmony in the world.
As discussed in the lecture powerpoint, which of the following is the best explanation for Earth's seasons?
The Earth's axis is tilted compared to its orbital axis and the hemispheres alternately point toward and away from the Sun in the course of its orbit
Based on the reading by Maryboy and Begay 2010, where is the Sun's energy generated?
The Inner Core
According to the lecture powerpoint slides, which of the following is true of the Moon's path against the background sky of fixed stars throughout its cycle of phases?
The Moon follows near to but not on the Ecliptic
Based the reading by Maryboy and Begay 2010, which of the following is not a layer in the Sun's outer atmosphere?
The Radiative Zone
The chapter by Tyler 1984 discusses the "duality" of the year in Pueblo calendars. To what does the "Battle of the Seasons" refer?
The battle between winter and summer
Close inspection of the Moon in the night sky reveals dark patches and lighter regions. Which of the following is the best explanation according to the reading from western astronomy texts?
The light patches are high cratered regions called "lunar highlands" and the dark areas are low smooth areas called "lunar maria."
According to "Navajo Heavens" by Griffin-Pierce 1992, within a sacred sandpainting several time periods are collapsed into a single moment. Which is NOT one of those time periods?
The next time the ceremony will be given on earth
Based on the reading by Maryboy and Begay 2010, which best describes the cycle of sunspot activity?
The number of spots increases to a maximum and the declines to a minimum over a time period of 11 years
According to lecture slides, how do members of the Pawnee tribe interpret a meteor shower event?
The souls of the dead being re-incarnated and a good omen
According to the lecture slides, Gah Hahat'ee is a Navajo constellation associated with which modern constellation?
The tail of Scorpius
According to Miller (1997), in Navajo ceremonials, what is the more important aspect of the constellations?
Their healing power
According to the lecture slides, which of the following was a contribution of Johannes Kepler to understanding the motions of planets?
Their orbits are elliptical
According to Figure 2.6 in the chapter by Aveni (1997), how do sunrise positions on the horizon change with seasons in the northern hemisphere?
They rise from a due east position (azimuth angle 90 degrees) at equinox They rise from a position north of east (azimuth less than 90 degrees) at summer solstice
According to Williamson 1987, why are comets or shooting stars seldom used in ceremonies of healing?
They were understood to be abnormal and acting contrary to the ordered laws of nature
According to the lecture slides, which of the following is a Mesoamerican deity associated with Venus that throws darts at people?
Tlahuizcalpantecuhtli
According to the reading by Tyler 1964, what is the purpose of the Hopi "Soyal" ceremony?
To honor the Sun and turn him back at Winter Solstice
According to the reading by Monroe and Williamson (1987), what does Black God say is the reason for star patterns or "constellations"?
To provide Humans on Earth with rules to live by
According to the lecture powerpoint slides, tidal forces from the Moon causes the ocean to bulge in which directions?
Towards and away from the Moon
According to Schaefer 1996, why are comets, eclipses, and meteors often seen as bad throughout the world?
Transient events are radical breaks from natural harmony
According to the Maryboy and Begay 2010 reading on the moon, which is true of Navajo traditions about the Moon?
Usually depicted as a perfect white shell disc, carried by the Moon Carrier as he rides his horse across the sky.
According to the reading by Magli, what is the only planet for which any kind of connection with astronomically oriented buildings has been argued?
Venus
According to the reading from Tyler 1964, the Hopi believe that the Sun has which two powers?
War and Fertility
According to Miller (1997), the Navajo used the Rabbit Tracks constellation to determine when to hunt. When was it permissible to hunt again?
When the constellation moved into a more horizontal position after twilight.
According to the lecture notes, what is the end-product of post-main-sequence evolution for stars like our Sun?
White Dwarf
According to the reading by Tyler 1964, from which day is the Zuni ceremonial calendar for the following year calculated?
Winter Solstice
According to the article by Zeilik 1985, from what location are sunwatching observations typically made?
Within or close to the Pueblo
For the Inuits, Venus is associated with the legend of the great seal hunter Nâlagssartoq. The dark, misanthropic narrative underscores which recurring theme of the Inuit?
Wrong doers were transformed into luminous beings in the sky where they reside for eternity for their evil deeds to be recounted as a warning to successive generations.
According to the Lecture Slides, what is the Navajo name for the Milky Way?
Yikaisdaha
According to the reading by Tyler 1964, Which tribe believed the Sun was not created by always existed?
Zuni
Using the discussion in the lecture notes, order the following objects by their proximity to Earth. The first object should be the furthest away
comet/asteroid, meteoroid, meteor, meteorite
According to the reading by Griffin-Pierce (1992), "Hooghan and the Stars," which of the following is NOT one of fours ways in which a sandpainting - often with constellations - is used to assist in a healing (hint - pp. 114-116).
it gives the patient a more positive view of their situation
According to Backman and Seeds 2011, most meteors one sees in the sky are produced by meteoroids that weigh how much?
less than 1 gram
