Astronomy Final Exam
In Michigan, the sun will reach its highest point in the sky on...
a solstice
Which of the following provides observational evidence that Mars has weather and an atmosphere?
all of the above
Which of the following provides observational evidence that Mars has weather and an atmosphere?
all of the above (eroded craters, wind streaks, dust devils)
The angle measured up from the horizon is called the...
altitude
Orange soil on the moon is believed to be caused by
ancient volcanic activity
On Mercury and the Moon, we notice that larger craters __________ smaller craters.
are rounder than
If the earth were flat, then the shadows of two towers at two different places on the earth would...
be the exact same length
If we could capture of the spectrum of an exoplanet, we may find evidence for life on that planet in the form of...
biosignatures
If a star is traveling toward you, its observed spectrum will be ....
blue shifted
How can you calculate the peak altitude of the sun in the sky?
by using the observer's latitude and the sun's declination
On Mercury and the Moon, we notice that larger craters _____ smaller craters.
came before
The astronomer Schiaparelli was convinced that he could observe _____ on Mars.
canals
The astronomer Schiaparelli was convinced that he could observe __________ on Mars
canals
The atmosphere of Venus is composed almost entirely of ...
carbon dioxide
The atmosphere of Venus is composed almost entirely of...
carbon dioxide
What molecules dominated the Earth's primordial atmosphere?
carbon dioxide and water vapor
Declination is measured north and south from the...
celestial equator
Kepler found that planets do not move in ____ but in ____.
circles and ellipses
A planet in orbit about the Sun will move the fastest when it is ...
closest to the sun
According to Stellarium, what was the moon phase during the time that Van Gogh painted Road with Cypress and Star?
crescent
The best time to observe the moon to see its crater is during a ....
crescent moon
Prior to plant life, a biosphere consisting of ____________ would need to be established on the red planet to raise atmospheric pressure.
cyanobacteria
The angle that measures north and south from the celestial equator is called the...
declination
The change in seasons is caused by the change in the Sun's ...
declination
The change in seasons is caused by the change in the Sun's...
declination
The two coordinates of the "celestial equitorial coordinate system" are... [Select two]
declination and right ascension
According to the small angle equation, if an object at a fixed distance is suddenly shrunk to a smaller size, then the angular size will...
decrease
For an observer located on the equator, the altitude of the stars due West will...
decrease
Gravity between two objects is ____ proportional to the product of their masses and ____ proportional to the square of the distance between them.
directly and indirectly
Gravity between two objects is _____ proportional to the product of their masses and _____ proportional to the square of the distance between them.
directly, indirectly
Which of the following would be considered life?
grass, bacteria, mushrooms, cats
What two factors influence whether gas particles stay or leave a planet's atmosphere?
gravity and heat
What factor most helps the Earth maintain a relatively constant temperature?
greenhouse gases
Compared to the Earth, Mars is about ...
half the size
Compared to the Earth, Mars is about...
half the size
If you are attempting to communicate with intelligent civilizations elsewhere in the galaxy, then the _____ part of the EM spectrum is the best to use.
radio
If you are attempting to communicate with intelligent civilizations elsewhere in the galaxy, then the _________ part of the EM spectrum is the best to use.
radio
The surface of the moon is covered with a fine powder of pulverized rock called...
regolith
Ptolemy's improvements were important because they explained ...
retrograde motion
The unusual motion of a planet is referred to as
retrograde motion
A gas particle will escape a planet's atmosphere if it moves faster than the...
"Escape speed"
A gas particle will escape a planet's atmosphere if it moves faster than the ...
"escape speed"
What was the apparent magnitude of the bright object in the first painting?
-3.83
If it takes Jupiter 13 years to orbit the sun, how long in years will it take Jupiter to go once around the sun as viewed from earth?
1.08
If it takes a planet 8 years to orbit the Sun, how long (in years) will it take the planet to go all the way around our sky once?
1.14
If it takes a planet eight years to orbit the sun how long in years will it take the planet to go all the way around our sky once?
1.14
If it takes a planet 5 years to orbit the sun, how long in years will it take the planet to go all the way around our sky once?
1.25
If it takes a planet 2.8 years to orbit the sun, how long in years Will it take the planet to go all the way around our sky once?
1.56
If it takes Mars 2.5 years to orbit the sun, how long in years will it take mars to go once around the sky as viewed from earth?
1.67
What is the distance (in meters) of an object that has an angular diameter of 100 arc seconds in a linear diameter of 50 m?
103132.2
What is the distance (in meters) of an object that has an angular diameter of 100 arcseconds and a linear diameter of 50 meters?
103132.5
On March 30, what time of day will you find the bright star Sirius setting in the west?
11pm
The length of the day on an equinox is...
12 hours
What is a^3 for the planet Coruscant?
12.65
What is the linear diameter in meters of an object that has an angular diameter of 110 arc seconds and a distance of 25,000 m?
13.33
If the peak wavelength of a star at rest is 1375 nm, then what peak wavelength is observed when the star is traveling 975,000 m/s away from the Earth.
1379.47
If the peak wavelength of a star at rest is 350 nm, but astronomers on earth observer that is has been shifted by 2.25 nm. Then how fast is the star moving relative to the earth?
1928571
What orbital period (in years) did you measure for Cybertron?
2.16
What is the force of gravity in Newtons acting between the Sun and a 1500-kg rock that is 2 AU from the Sun?
2.24
If it takes Venus 0.7 years to orbit the sun, how long in years will it take Venus to come back to its original place in our night sky?
2.33
What is the linear diameter in meters of an object that has an angular diameter of 10 arcseconds and a distance of 50,000 m?
2.424
The gas in the solar nebula began at a temperature of about ....
2000 K
What is your orbital period (in years) of a planet with a semimajor axis of 35 AU?
207.06
Suppose scientists discover a new mini planet just beyond earth's orbit that takes 1.05 years to orbit the sun. How long in years would it take this mini planet to move once all the way around our sky?
21
What is the azimuth of due west?
270 degrees
What is the approximate angular size of a tree that is for "hands" tall?
28 degrees
Suppose a comets tail stretches 25° across the night sky. How many of my hands + thumbs would it take to measure the angular size?
3 hands and 2 thumbs
How many asteroids (that we know of) are on a potential collision course with Earth?
300-500
What is the orbital period in years of a planet with a semimajor axis of 10 AU?
31.6
What is the angular diameter in arcseconds of an object that has a linear diameter of 5 m and a distance of 3 km?
343.775
What is the angular diameter (in arcseconds) of an object that has a linear diameter of 5 meters and a distance of 3 km?
343.78
If it takes a planet 0.8 years to orbit the sun, how long in years will it take the planet to go all the way around our sky once?
4
During the Tunguska Event, people were thrown 20 feet through the air, even though they were ________ away from the explosion.
40 miles
The average distance to the moon is 382,734 km. If the angular size of the moon was 0.60° then what would be the diameter of the moon in kilometers?
4018
If the peak wavelength of a star at rest is 660 nm, but astronomers on earth observer that is has been shifted by 0.001 nm. Then how fast is the star moving relative to the earth?
454.5
What is the force of gravity in Newtons acting between the Sun and a 4500-kg rocket that is 0.75 AU from the Sun?
47.8?
What is the orbital period of Caprica?
5.20
What is the semimajor axis (in AU) of a planet with an orbital period of 14 years?
5.81
What is the semimajor axis in AU of a planet with an orbital period of 14 years?
5.81
What is the force of gravity acting between the Earth and a 60-kg person who is 400 km above the surface of the Earth?
521.28
If the peak wavelength of a star at rest is 550 nm, then what peak wavelength is observed when the star is traveling 150,000 m/s toward the Earth.
550.275
What is the orbital period in years of a planet with an semimajor axis of 15 AU?
58.1
What is the distance in meters of an object that has an angular diameter of 30 arcseconds and a linear diameter of 10 cm?
687.55
What is the linear diameter in meters of an object that has an angular diameter of 25 arc seconds and a distance of 65 km?
7.88
What is the approximate CHZ Outer Boundary for a primordial star with a mass eight times that of our sun?
71 AU
If the peak wavelength of a star at rest is 725 nm, then what peak wavelength is observed when the star is traveling 800,000 m/s away from the Earth.
723.067
What is the semimajor axis in AU of a planet with an orbital period of 25 years?
8.55
Based on the simulation, approximately how much longer will earth be in the CHZ?
820 million years
The Spirit and Opportunity rover missions continued for several years despite being designed to operate for only ...
90 days
To an observer located on the earth's north pole, what is the altitude of the north celestial pole?
90 degrees
What is the altitude of the north celestial pole for an observer standing on the north pole of the earth?
90 degrees
What is the force of gravity acting between the Earth and a 100-kg person standing on the surface?
981.3
During what month of the year will the big dipper (Ursa Major) be the highest in the sky at 10:30pm?
April
Which ancient astronomer believed that the sun was at the center of our solar system?
Aristarchus
Which of the following planets exhibit the characteristic "back and forth" motion relative to the stars?
All of the above (Venus, Jupiter, Saturn)
Virtually no one acknowledged Galileo's work during his lifetime.
False
Virtually no one acknowledged Newton's work during his lifetime.
False
How many pictures go into each animated movie?
Four
The Phoenix Lander found _____ just under the surface of Mars.
Frozen water ice
The first proof that the Earth orbits the Sun was provided by...
Galileo's observation of the phases of Venus
The key observation of Venus was that it exhibited a ____ phase.
Gibbous
An advocate for terraforming Mars suggests that just _____ would be a powerful symbol of humanity's potential for expansion.
Having a single seed grow into a plant on Mars
Smooth, dark regions on the Moon where lava once flowed
Maria
The __________ missions were the first to fly-by Mars.
Mariner
A crater with a sharp, crisp rim would be considered a(n)
Preserved crater
The zero point for longitude is the...
Prime Meridian
Where did Earth's oceans come from?
Rain from water vapor in the early atmosphere
A bright line emanating outward from craters
Ray
Pulverized rock that covers the Moon as a fine dust
Regolith
The US Space Program seems to currently prefer pursuing _____ instead of launching expensive and dangerous manned missions to Mars.
Robotic Martian missions
A raised ridge on the surface of Mercury
Scarp
Why does liquid water boil away when exposed to the Martian atmosphere?
The low air pressure lowers the boiling point
The one asteroid in the gamma field is found in
The middle left
In the second painting, what is the bright object?
The moon
In Ptolemy's model, it is possible to have a planetary orbit without retrograde motion.
True
In the early 1900's it was considered common knowledge that there was intelligent life on Mars.
True
In the early 1900's, it was considered common knowledge that there was intelligent life on Mars.
True
Our living bodies ultimately come from non-living material found on Earth.
True
Professional astronomers, in general, know very few constellations in the night sky.
True
The epsilon field includes an asteroid that is headed toward the very center of the field.
True
The first landers on the surface of Mars found the Martian soil to be sterile.
True
The small angle equation was known to people in ancient times.
True
Virtually every planetary scientist agrees that liquid water did flow at one time on ancient Mars.
True
Virtually no one acknowledged Kepler's work during his lifetime.
True
We have not yet seen strong scientific evidence for even the simplest life anywhere in the universe except the Earth.
True
All of the following are constellations in the Zodiac, EXCEPT
Ursa Major
All of the following are constellations of the zodiac EXCEPT
Ursa Major
What bright star will be straight overhead at midnight on June 20?
Vega
The bright object painted in the first painting is most likely...
Venus
Which of the following has the hottest surface temperatures?
Venus
The first US missions to land on Mars were the _____ missions.
Viking
The first US missions to land on Mars were the _____________ missions.
Viking
The surface of the moon contains geologic evidence for ___________ on the moon in the past.
Volcanoes
Orson Well's famous radio broadcast of ________________ caused a minor panic among listeners that a real alien invasion was underway
War of the Worlds
The constellations that the Sun passes through are called the...
Zodiac
The constellations that the sun passes through are called the...
Zodiac
The discovery of _________ prompted astronomers to reconsider whether Pluto should really be called a planet
Eris
If the Moon is rising at midnight, what phase is it?
third quarter
If the moon is rising at midnight, what phase is it?
third quarter
Which phase comes between waning gibbous and waning crescent?
third quarter
The _____ for discovering exoplanets looks for tiny dips in light as a planet passes in front of its star.
transit method
Jupiter weighs roughly ....
twice as much as all the other planets combined
The surface of the moon contains geologic evidence for _____ on the moon in the past.
volcanoes
Which phase comes between third-quarter and new moon?
waning crescent
Which phase comes between full and third quarter?
waning gibbous
Which phase comes between full and third-quarter?
waning gibbous
Which phase comes between new and first quarter?
waxing crescent
The discovery of _________ prompted astronomers to reconsider whether Pluto should really be called a planet.
Eris
Copernicus was the first person to suggest that the sun is at the center of our solar system.
False
Copernicus was the first to be able to prove that the Earth orbited around the Sun.
False
Copernicus was the first to be able to prove that the earth orbited around the sun.
False
Copernicus' heliocentric model was able to predict the location of the planets more accurately than Ptolemy's geocentric model.
False
Copernicus' heliocentric model was able to predict the location of the planets more accurately then Ptolemy's geocentric model.
False
Galileo was able to observe polar caps on Mars with his first telescope observations.
False
If the terraforming of Mars was successful, its new bigger atmosphere would remain permanently allowing generations of new societies to survive on the red planet.
False
If the terraforming of Mars was successful, its new thicker atmosphere would remain permanently allowing generations of new societies to survive on the red planet
False
Mars comes closer to Earth than any other planet.
False
Ptolemy's Model of the solar system was by far the simplest and most elegant model.
False
The beta field includes a bright asteroid in the middle right of the field.
False
Using the Drake Equation is complete guesswork. There is no scientific basis for estimating any of the variables in the equation.
False
One of the main objections to the heliocentric model was that...
we do not feel the Earth moving
How did Copernicus figure out which planets were closer to the Sun and which were further?
NOT small angle equation
Which of the following was NOT listed as an unexpected benefit of astronomy research?
New methods for treating cancer
Which of the following was not listed as an unexpected benefit of astronomy research?
New methods for treating cancer
Does Stellarium support the claim that Venus is the planet depicted in Road with Cypress and Star?
No
On the summer solstice, the Sun sets...
North of West
On what date will you find the bright star Arcturus setting in the west at 6pm?
November 5
Which of the following is NOT a variable in the Drake Equation?
Number of radio antennas per planet
Your noon time shadow will be the longest on which day of the year?
winter solstice
The concept in science that the simpler ideas are preferred to the more complex ones is known as...
Occam's Razor
How can astronomers see stars right next to the Sun?
with space telescopes
How can astronomers see stars right next to the sun?
with space telescopes
The point directly overhead is called the...
zenith
The point with the highest altitude is the ....
zenith
Anorthosite was believed to be some of the _____ material on the surface of the moon.
Oldest
The largest mountain in the solar system is ...
Olympus Mons
The largest mountain in the solar system is...
Olympus Mons
Which of the following geological features suggest that Mars has an atmosphere?
Wind streaks and eroded craters
In the southern hemisphere, the sun will reach its highest point in the sky on...
our winter solstice
Where did the oxygen in our atmosphere come from?
photosynthesis of living organisms
What is the eccentricity of a perfectly circular orbit?
0
What is the altitude of the horizon?
0 degrees
What is the altitude of the north celestial pole for an observer located on the earth's equator?
0 degrees
What is the linear diameter in meters of an object that has an angular diameter of 22 arc seconds and a distance of 1400 m?
0.15
If it takes Mercury 0.21 years to orbit the sun, how long in years will it take mercury to come back to its original place in our sky?
0.27
What is the approximate width of the sun's primordial CHZ?
0.37 AU
How many meters across is a road sign that has an angular size of 120 arcseconds and is 1 km away?
0.582
How many millimeters will a 17 mm wavelength radiowave be shifted if the source is traveling away from the observer at 12000000 m/s?
0.68
What is the force of gravity acting between the Sun and a 80 kg person who is 0.8 AU away from the Sun?
0.747
According to National Geographic, the process of terraforming Mars would take ______ years.
1,000
One of the most promising pieces of evidence supporting ancient life on Mars came from...
A Martian meteorite found on Earth
Why do some astronomers object to the new definition of a planet that was adopted in 2006?
By this definition, Earth, Jupiter, and other planets should not be considered planets
A very large impact crater on Mercury
Caloris Basin
You are most likely to find a landslide on Mars near which of the following?
Canyon wall
Which bright star will be found straight overhead on February 15?
Capella
Which of the following would be considered life?
Cats, mushrooms, grass, bacteria
Which if the following are you most likely to find near a volcano?
Collapsed lava tube
A respected scientist and mathematician, Carl Gauss, recommended that we build a large right triangle on the surface of the Earth in order to...
Communicate with Martians
Why were constellations essential for ancient peoples?
Constellations provided a calendar to support agriculture
The best time to observe the moon to see its crater is during a...
Crescent moon
Prior to plant life, a biosphere consisting of _____ would need to be established on the red planet to raise atmospheric pressure.
Cyanobacteria
In what month will you find the constellation Orion rising in the east at 7pm?
December
The most clear evidence for the presence of water on ancient Mars is...
Dry riverbeds
Astronomers exploring Kepler Space Telescope data encountered a very unusual lightcurve, which some speculated may be caused by a partially-completed ________________ created by an advanced civilization.
Dyson Sphere
The white material around an impact crater is called
Ejecta
For an observer located on the North Pole, the azimuth of the stars in the South will...
Increase
Observing Mars is difficult because...
It is so small on our night sky
In what month will be bright star Rigel be rising in the east at 6 am?
June
Which of the following planets in our solar system have rings? (Select all that apply)
Jupiter, Uranus, Neptune, Saturn
Which of the following planets in our solar system have rings? (Select all that apply)
Jupiter, Uranus, Saturn, Neptune
The idea that planets do not move at constant speeds in their orbits can be attributed to...
Kepler
The statement: "Planets sweep out equal area in equal time." Is also known as...
Kepler's second law
According to the Kardashev Scale, what "type" of civilization does humanity represent?
Less than type 1
The largest mountain on Earth (as measured from the sea floor)
Mauna Kea
The appearance of Earth's moon is nearly identical to...
Mercury
Which cities would be covered with water if the Greenland Ice Sheet melted completely?
Miami and Amsterdam
The galactic habitability zone is most likely to be found...
Midway between the center and edge of a galaxy
What features must an object in the pictures have in order to confidently say it is an asteroid?
Moves in a straight line, you can see it in every picture, looks like a star
When Kepler began his work, which solar system model was able to make the most accurate predictions?
NOT Tycho's model
The best source of evidence that our solar system was once full of much larger rocks and meteors is that the moon shows
Smaller craters on the top of larger ones
On the winter solstice, the sun will rise...
South of east
For an observer located on the North Pole, the altitude of the stars in the East will...
Stay the same
When a planet orbits two the opposite side of the sun as earth and it appears near the sun in our sky, the planet is at...
Superiod conjunction
Sufficient warming of Mars could be achieved by point a mirror the size of _____ at the Martian south pole.
Texas
The first human artifact to leave the solar system was
The Pioneer 10 Plaque
The hypothesis that other planets are actually worlds like the Earth is known as ...
The Plurality of Worlds
The hypothesis that other planets are actually worlds like the Earth is known as...
The Plurality of Worlds
The first human artifact to leave the solar system was
The Voyager Golden Record
As an object gets farther away from you, what happens to its angular size?
The angular size gets smaller
One example of a "Great Filter" that humanity has (so far) managed to pass through is...
The development of nuclear weapons
In many ancient cultures, the "red planet" was named after...
The god of war
What initiated the runway greenhouse effect on Venus?
The gradual warming of the Sun
The Drake Equation is a tool for estimating...
The number of planets in the Milky Way that contain civilizations intelligent enough to communicate through space
Which if the following did Galileo NOT observe with his telescope?
The planet Neptune
The zero point of longitude is...
The prime meridian
Which of the following statements explains why a planet around a massive star (two solar masses or greater) is unlikely to evolve complex life?
The star changes too quickly
What key event allowed Kepler to develop his own model for solar system motion?
The untimely death of Tycho
Describe how the stars in a constellation are connected to one another.
They are completely unrelated to one another
Describe how the stars in a constellation are connected to one another.
They are completely unrelated to one another.
Suppose a planet had an eccentricity of 0.5. During it's orbit, when will it have the greatest speed?
When it is nearest to the sun
The most clear evidence for the presence of water on ancient Mars is...
dry riverbeds
On an equinox, the Sun sets...
due west
The path of the Sun on the celestial sphere is called the...
ecliptic
The bright circles around impact craters are called
ejecta
The bright circles around impact craters are called ...
ejecta
The location of zero latitude is the...
equator
Living creatures that thrive in environments thought to be deadly to any lifeform are known as ...
extremophiles
Which of the following scientific ideas was never discussed in the ancient world?
faint lights in the sky are galaxies
An explosion the size of the Tunguska Event is likely to happen every ....
few centuries
An explosion the size of the Tunguska Event is likely to happen every...
few centuries
If the moon is setting at midnight, what phase is it?
first quarter
Which phase of the moon comes between waxing crescent and waxing gibbous?
first quarter
The Phoenix Lander found __________ just under the surface of Mars.
frozen water ice
Almost the entirety of Jupiter's size is made up of ...
gas
The Jovian planets are composed mostly of _______ and _________.
hydrogen .... helium
A scientist hoping to find active life on Mars can only reasonably hope to find it ...
in water that exists under the Martian surface
A scientist hoping to find active life on Mars can only reasonably hope to find it...
in water that exists under the Martian surface
According to the small angle equation, if you bring an object closer to the observer, the angular size will...
increase
Over the course of the year, the right ascension of the sun...
increases
Over the course of the year, the Sun's declination...
increases and decreases
A planet will keep a large atmosphere if it _________ or __________.
is cold .... has a ton of gravity
Mercury gets incredibly hot and incredibly cold because ...
it does not have an atmosphere
"More money is spent on making movies about ____________ than on actually finding them."
killer asteroids
The presence of ___________ on the surface of Mars provides additional evidence for a wet Martian past.
life
Streamlined islands on Mars were most likely formed by the flow of
liquid water
The height of the sun in the sky at noon time is called the...
meridional altitude
As the solar nebula cooled, which compounds were the first to condense from a gas to a solid?
metals
Which phase comes between waning crescent and waxing crescent?
new moon
When a planet is on the opposite side of the sky as the Sun, we call this...
opposition
Mercury has a network of strange wrinkles across its surface called ...
scarps
Astronomers conjecture that advanced alien civilizations could rapidly spread through the galaxy through the use of ...
self-replicating machines
Astronomers conjecture that advanced alien civilizations could rapidly spread through the galaxy through the use of...
self-replicating machines
The size of the earth could be measured accurately in ancient times by using...
shadows on Earth
For an observer located on the North Pole, the altitude of the stars in the East will...
stay the same
For an observer located on the equator, the azimuth of the stars due East will...
stay the same
The longest day of the year in Michigan is...
summer solstice
If the full moon is setting, what time is it?
sun rise
If the new moon is rising, what time is it?
sun rise
If the new moon is setting, what time is it?
sun set
If the full moon is rising, what time is it?
sunset
The planets closest to the Sun are known as the ...
terrestrial planets
Aristarchus was able to prove that...
the Sun is larger than the Earth
A lunar rille is most likely formed from
the collapse of a lava tube
In many ancient cultures, the "red planet" was named after ...
the god of war
Some early observers thought that changes in the large dark regions on the surface of Mars were caused by
the growth of vegetation
Which of the following did Galileo NOT observe with his telescope?
the planet Neptune
Why doesn't Mars have active volcanoes today?
the planet lost its internal heat to cold space
The moon and the sun are almost exactly the same angular size in our sky. The ratio of "actual size divided by distance" for the sun, then, must be _____ the ratio of "actual size divided by distance" for the moon.
the same as
Suppose a balloon is slowly letting out air (and becoming smaller), at the same time it is being brought closer to an observer. According to the small angle equation, the angular size of the balloon will ...
there's not enough information to say for sure
