Astronomy Chapter 2
What is the altitude of the North Star for an observer on the North Pole? An observer on Equator? In Concord, NC?
1. 90 degrees North 2. 0 degrees located at the horizon 3. 35 degrees altitude
Describe how the following contribute to seasons on Earth? 1. Earth's axial tilt 2. Earth's distance from the sun throughout the year
1. The tilt affects how much sun exposure that particular side of the earth gets. When it is summer, there are longer days and during the winter solstice, there are shorter days. 2. Earth's slightly varying orbital distance has virtually no effect on the weather.
How many degrees does the sun move in the sky per hour?
15 degrees in the sky per hour
Describe the difference between the "Dark" side of the moon and the "Far" side of the moon?
The "dark" side appears shaded in the sky and the "Far" side is the side we never see from Earth.
When it is summer in North America, what season is it in Australia?
Winter
You are standing on Earth's equator. Which way is Polaris, the North star?
on the northern horizon
An observer in Canada sees a third quarter Moon on a a particular day. What will an observer in Australia see on the same day?
Third Quarter Moon
Which of the following planets would you expect to have seasons most like Earth's?
Mars (axis tilt = 25 degrees)
Ecliptic
Direction of the sun
Celestial Equator
Earth's equator projected into the sky
How much of the Moon is receiving direct sunlight at any particular time?
Exactly half of the Moon
Suppose the Moon is rising in the East, just as the Sun is setting in the West. What phase would we be looking at?
Full Moon Phase
What makes the North Star (Polaris) so special?
It appears very near the north celestial pole.
Meridian Line
Line running through the zenith
Zenith
Point directly overhead
Draw the alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun that can result in a solar eclipse.
SUN ---------> MOON -------> EARTH
Draw the alignment of the Earth, moon, and sun that can result in a lunar eclipse.
SUN -------> EARTH ----------> MOON
From the Earth we always see the same side of the Moon. If you were an astronaut stationed at a base on the near side of the Moon, what view of Earth would you have?
The Earth would always be visible in the sky above the Moon.
How does the Earth's Varying Distance from the Sun affect the Seasons?
The Variation in Earth-Sun Distance over the course of each year has virtually no effect on the seasons
Which of the following statements does NOT use the terms angular size or angular distance correctly?
The angular distance between those two bright stars in the sky is about 2 meters.
What should you remember about the North Star?
The celestial equator, as we rotate the top of the Earth, it is now some angle of the horizon for us, and the North Star is going to be some angle off the horizon in our sky as well. Also, Polaris is NOT the brightest star in the sky. The altitude the North star is equal to your latitude.
Why do we see essentially the same face of the Moon at all times?
because the Moon's rotational and orbital periods are equal
How much of the Moon is receiving direct sunlight at any particular time?
exactly half
The main stars in the constellation Orion are all about the same distance from Earth.
false
When traveling north from the Unites States into Canada, you'll see the North Star getting __________.
higher in the sky
Why do stars appear to rise in the east and set in the west?
the daily rotation of the Earth
