UWRF Astronomy Final
The 110 objects on Messiers list have this one thing in common a) they are all galaxies b) they are within our solar system c) they are not comets d) they are asteroids that became comets
C) They are note comets
Which of the following is considered experimental evidence that the Big Bang occurred? a) 3 K background radiation b) Doppler blue shifts from most objects c) maps of walls and voids d) the echo of the first "pop"
a) 3 K background radiation
The first person credited with proposing a heliocentric solar system was a) Aristarchus of Samos b) Aristotle c) Brahe d) Copernicus
a) Aristarchus of Samos
Light created by particles from the solar wind interaction with Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere near the south geographic pole is called Aurora a) Australis b) borealis c) Centralia d) africanus
a) Australis
Who developed the theory of how stars die based on their mass? a) Chandrasekhar b) Bell c) Hewish d) Hawking
a) Chandrasekhar
The comet that first proved that Newton's laws worked even away from the Earth was a) Halley b) Encke c) hale-bopp d) Messier
a) Halley
He classified the galaxies by shape measured their velocities and measured their distances using Cepheid variable stars: a) Hubble b) Hawking c) Halley d) Herschel
a) Hubble
Which of the following is a dwarf planet a) Pluto b) NEAR c) 433 Eros d) Enckes comet
a) Pluto
The far side of the moon was first photographed by a) USSR b) USA c) China d) no one, it has not been photographed yet
a) USSR
Which of the following best describes a star's spectrum? a) a blackbody spectrum with a superimposed absorption line spectrum b) a blackbody spectrum with a superimposed emission line spectrum c) a continuous spectrum with no wavelengths missing d) an emission line spectrum only
a) a blackbody spectrum with a superimposed absorption line spectrum
A butterfly diagram a) a graph of sunspot positions and number over time b) a map of the interior structure of the sun c) a sketch of a typical sunspot shape d) a drawing of the layers of the sun
a) a graph of sunspot positions and number over time
Every December and June, the Earth experiences: a) a solstice b) am equinox c) an eclipse d) a perihelion
a) a solstice
Which measurement did Aristotle propose as proof that Earth travels around the sun? a) angle of parallax of nearby stars b) angular size of the moon c) the phases of venus d) the revolution point in the sky changes over 26,000 years
a) angle of parallax of nearby stars
In spiral-type galaxies, we expect to find old red stars in this part of the galaxy: a) central bulge b) spiral arms c) halo d) bar
a) central bulge
Draco is a: a) circumpolar constellation at 45 degrees N b) zodiac constellation c) asterism d) none of the above
a) circumpolar constellation at 45 degrees N
Ursa major is: a) circumpolar constellation at 45 degrees N b) zodiac constellation c) asterism d) none of the above
a) circumpolar constellation at 45 degrees N
Earth's orbit around the sun traces out a plane called the plane of the a) ecliptic b) vernal equinox c) solstice d) perihelion
a) ecliptic
Electrons move from higher energy levels to lower energy levels and produce light in this process: a) emission b) absorption c) dispersion d) excitation
a) emission
Where would a star like Rigel be plotted on a H-R diagram? a) main sequence upper left b) main sequence lower right c) lower left d) upper right
a) main sequence upper left
Which of the following is caused by the solar wind? a) northern lights b) grainy surface appearance c) prominences d) sunspots
a) northern lights
For light waves traveling in a vacuum, which of the following is TRUE? a) shorter wavelength travels faster than longer wavelength b) it takes one year of time to travel a distance of one light-minute c) light traveling toward you travels faster than light traveling away from you d) all light waves travel at the same speed
a) shorter wavelength travels faster than longer wavelength
The next total lunar eclipse will be July 16, 2019. What happens in this event? a) the moon will be in Earth's umbra b) the moon will graze Earth's penumbra c) the moon's phase will be waxing crescent d) the moon's phase will be new
a) the moon will be in Earth's umbra
What is special about the stars Mizar and Alcor in the Big Dipper? a) they are actually a system of 6 stars b) neither is visible to the naked eye c) they can only be seen from the North Pole d) they are the only stars connected by an actual line in space
a) they are actually a system of 6 stars
The distance between two identical points of a light wave is called the a) wavelength b) frequency c) speed d) amplitude
a) wavelength
When a star dies in an explosion called planetary nebula, the star that is left behind is a a) white dwarf b) neutron star c) pulsar d) blue giant
a) white dwarf
When we in the northern hemisphere we see the right half of the moon illuminated, it's phase is a) new b) 1st quarter c) waxing gibbous d) 3rd quarter
b) 1st quarter
When hydrogen atoms in a warm nebula convert from a parallel to antiparallel spin state, they emit a) h(alpha) radiation b) 21-cm radio waves c) light pulses d) pink light
b) 21-cm radio waves
Who was the first to determine the correct order of the known naked eye planets? a) aristotle b) Copernicus c) Brahe d) Kepler
b) Copernicus
The main reason we have seasons on Earth is a) earth's magnetic field reverses itself periodically b) earth's axis is titled with respect to the perpendicular to the plane of the solar system c) earth's distance from the sun changes during the year d) Glaciers are melting due to global warming so the cold ice and the warm atmosphere are competing
b) Earth's axis is tilted with respect to the perpendicular to the plane of the solar system
Which of the following is the largest: a) Stephan's Quintet b) Hydra-Centaurus Supercluster c) Hercules Group d) Virgo Cluster
b) Hydra-Centaurus Supercluster
We are currently living in the age of a) Aquarius b) Pisces c) Aries d) Virgo
b) Pisces
If light or matter crosses this limit for a black hole, it cannot escape again: a) accretion disk b) Schwarzschild radius c) Roche limit d) singularity
b) Schwarzschild
Because our sun appears yellow, we know it's surface temperature is about a) hot (20,000°C) b) warm (6,000°C) c) cool (2000°C) d) Cold (0°C)
b) Warm (6,000°C)
Taurus is a: a) circumpolar constellation at 45 degrees N b) zodiac constellation c) asterism d) none of the above
b) Zodiac constellation
The largest asteroid ever discovered was originally named a) piazzi b) ceres c) Eros d) Juno
b) ceres
Typical meteors are usually debris from a) asteroids b) comets c) explosions d) galactic collisions
b) comets
When we look at the solar spectrum, the absorption lines tell us the ____ and the peak of the blackbody spectrum tells us the _____ a) color, diameter b) composition, temperature c) core temperature, speed of the solar wind d) rate of rotation, sunspot cycle stage
b) composition, temperature
Which of the following lists light waves from highest to lowest energy: a) red, yellow, blue b) gamma rays, visible, radio waves c) UV, FIR, visible d) x-rays, radio waves, ultraviolet
b) gamma rays, visible, radio waves
What does a spectrometer measure? a) resolution b) how much light of each color is coming from a sky object c) subtended angle between stars d) length of a sidereal year
b) how much light of each color is coming from a sky
The star Procyon has an apparent magnitude of +0.35 and an absolute magnitude of +2.6. What does this tell you about its actual distance? a) is is farther from us than 10 pc b) it is closer to us than 10 pc c) is is about 10 pc away d) magnitudes give no clue to distance
b) it is closer to us than 10 pc
The sun's magnetic field get twisted because a) it contains some iron atoms b) it's equator rotates faster than it's poles c) gamma rays lose energy in the radiative zone d) Earth's magnetic field interferes with it
b) it's equator rotates faster than it's poles
The port cloud is the most likely source for a) dwarf planets b) long-period comets c) short-period comets d) asteroids
b) long-period comets
How do we know the Milky way galaxy is a barred-spiral-type? a) the solar system is revolving around a center b) maps of 21-cm radiation from objects forming "arms" c) all the globular clusters are grouped around teh center d) most of the stars we can see are blue
b) maps of 21-cm radiation from objects forming "arms"
A universe that keeps expanding forever is called a) flat b) open c) closed d) oscillating
b) open
Earth's northern hemisphere has winter when the northern hemisphere is a) pointing toward the sun b) pointing away from the sun c) receiving direct sun rays while it is farthest from the sun d) around aphelion in it's orbit
b) pointing away from the sun
The positions or perihelion and aphelion are cyclic positions associated with this motion of the Earth: a) rotation b) revolution c) precession d) retrograde
b) revolution
a Cepheid variable star shows a linear relationship between its actual brightness and the time period it cycles through. This is useful to astronomers because these stars can used: a) to function as natural clocks b) to determine distances to galaxies c) to rank brightness of nonvariable stars d) to calculate our solar system's age compared to the galaxy
b) the determine distances to galaxies
We don't have 2 eclipses every month because a) the moon rotates counterclockwise but revolves clockwise b) the lunar plane is tilted with respect to the ecliptic plane c) the moon is receding from Earth and can no longer cover the sun d) the moon is gravitationally locked to the Eart
b) the lunar plane is tilted with respect to the ecliptic plane
If you see the line emission spectrum from a star, expecting to measure a red line, a green line, and a blue line but instead you measure an infra-red line, a yellow line and a green line with the same spacing, what is a possible hypothesis for why you see this? a) the star is moving toward you b) the star is moving away from you c) the star is stationary but collapsing d) the star is cooling down
b) the star is moving away from you
When protostars form by gravitational collapse within a nebula, the characteristic that determines how long it takes fro fusion to begin is a) the temperature of the nebula b) the total mass of collapsed gas c) the mass left over after the final red giant stage d) the mass left over after a supernova explosion
b) the total mass of collapsed gas
Which of the following is a supergiant star? a) Vega b) Capella c) Betelgeuse d) Rigel
c) Betelgeuse
The latest online star catalog developed by the European Space Agency contains data on star motion and postion collected by this spacecraft: a) Barnard b) Shoemaker c) HIPPARCOS d) CHANDRA
c) HIPPARCOS
The relationship between wavelength and frequency is a) direct b) indirect c) inverse d) inverse squared
c) Inverse
Which of the following list stars from reddest to bluest? a) I, II, III, IV b) Rigel, sun, Antares c) M, K, B, O d) supergiant, giant, dwarf
c) M, K, B, O
In the Big Bang Theory of the origin of the Universe, the earliest time in which the physics is understood is called the: a) Cosmology Limity b) Closed Universe Theory c) Planck wall d) Singularity
c) Planck wall
If your latitude is 30 degrees N, which of the following is TRUE? a) Polaris is overhead b) Polaris is 30 degrees South of the celestial north pole c) Polaris' altitude is 30 degrees d) your altitude is 30 degrees
c) Polaris' altitude is 30 degrees
Big dipper is a: a) circumpolar constellation at 45 degrees N b) zodiac constellation c) asterism d) none of the above
c) asterism
The Summer Triangle is a: a) circumpolar constellation at 45 degrees N b) zodiac constellation c) asterism d) none of the above
c) asterism
When we say a red star is cooler than a blue star, we are comparing this kind of spectrum for the stars: a) absorption line b) emission line c) blackbody d) special relativistic
c) blackbody
When you give the position of a star as 35 degrees N, you are describing its a) latitude b) altitude c) declination d) right ascension
c) declination
The apparent path of the sun, moon, planets, and zodiac across the sky is called the a) equator b) celestial equator c) ecliptic d) horizon
c) ecliptic
When a large galaxy tidally interacts with a small galaxy breaking it apart and incorporating its stars, gas, and dust into the larger galaxy, the process is called a) tailing b) mapping c) galactic cannibalization d) gravitational cloning
c) galactic cannibalization
Newton's Universal Law of Gravitation says that if the distance squared between two bodies increases the gravitational force between them decreases. This relationship is called a) direct b) inverse c) inverse squared d) logarithmic
c) inverse squared
Which of the following is TRUE about the moon's rotation? a) it does not rotate; that's why we always see the same side b) it rotates but so slowly over our lifetime we don't notice it c) it rotates at the same rate that it revolves d) it rotates retrograde to it's revolution
c) it rotates at the same rate that it revolves
If the name on asteroid is 747 Winchester, which of the following is TRUE about it? a) it was discovered in the year 747 AD b) it was discovered by an astronomer name Winchester c) it was the 747th asteroid to be discovered d) it's albedo is 747
c) it was the 747th asteroid to be discovered
The distance light travels in one minute is called one a) minute b) arc-minute c) light-minute d) light-year
c) light-minute
The first manned moon landing was in/on a a) ringed basin b) rille c) mare d) crater
c) mare
The layer of the sun we normally see when there is no eclipse is called the a) Corona b) chromosphere c) photosphere d) prminence
c) photosphere
The stars physically moving through space is a) an optical illusion b) retrograde motion c) proper motion d) not measurable
c) proper motion
"Mommy! Daddy! Why is the sky blue?" "Because particles in the atmosphere are the right size to cause this to blue wavelength light" a) diffraction b) refraction c) scattering d) dispersion
c) scattering
The time period ultimately used to set our calendar months was the a)sidereal month b) anomalistic month c) solar month d) tidal month
c) solar month
A solar day is the time between a) star rises b) moon phases c) sun rises d) sun returning to an exact spot and exact time
c) sun rises
Why do sunspots occur in pairs? a) the photosphere has pairs of cells of rising and sinking material b) charged particles and uncharged particles burst off the sun in separate streams c) they can be traced to the north or south magnetic poles d) this is an optical illusion; sunspots actually occur randomly
c) they can be traced to the north or south magnetic poles
If a star's angle of parallax is 1 arc-second, its distance is 1 parsec. What is a possible angle of parallax if the star is farther than 1 parsec? a) 5 arc-minutes b) 5 arc-seconds c) 1 arc-seconds d) 0.5 arc-seconds
d) 0.5 arc-seconds
The group of about 30 galaxies that the milky way belongs to is named a) Hercules group b) Hydra group c) Virgo cluster d) Local group
d) Local Group
Most stars spend most of their lifetime with a luminosity-temperature combination that plots in this part of the Hertzsrpung-Russell diagram: a) upper right b) Lower right c) lower left d) main sequence
d) Main sequence
She is at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics mapping positions of galaxies in "slice-of-sky" maps: a) Jocelyn Bell b) Henrietta Leavitt c) Annie Jump Cannon d) Margaret Geller
d) Margaret Geller
Which of the following appear only as morning or evening "stars" and never show retrograde? a) Mercury and Jupiter b) Mars and Jupiter c) Jupiter and Saturn d) Mercury and Venus
d) Mercury and Venus
The first man on the moon was a) Yuri Gagarin b) buzz Aldrin c) John Glenn d) Neil Armstrong
d) Neil Armstrong
Each element produces a unique line spectrum because a) each element is at a different temperature b) each element has a different number of neutrons c) atoms of each element have a different number of shells d) atoms of each element have a unique set of energy levels
d) atoms of each element have a unique set of energy levels
We say a star is born when it a) produces Herbig-Haro jets b) pulses radio waves like a lighthouse c) produces pink H-alpha radiation d) begins fusion
d) begins fusion
Lines of latitude on Earth are parallel to a) the Greenwich meridian b) the ecliptic c) the first point of Aries d) Earths equator
d) earths equator
Which of these devices is used primarily to cause dispersion of light waves? a) mirror b) lens c) window d) grating
d) grating
What is the location of our solar system in the Milky Way galaxy? a) in the nucleus with the globular clusters b) at the outer edge c) at the center d) halfway out from the center
d) halfway out from the center
Galaxies like the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds have no definable shape so they are classified as a) spiral b) barred spiral c) elliptical d) irregular
d) irregular
A solar eclipse that shows a ring of light around a dark disk a) happens once a year b) is the sun being blocked by earths shadow c) is total d) is annular
d) is annular
A Hertzsrpung-Russell diagram is a a) logarithmic plot of star class vs. period of brightness variation b) logarithmic plot of star class vs. temperature c) linear plot of luminosity vs. period of brightness variation d) logarithmic plot of luminosity vs. temperature
d) logarithmic plot of luminosity vs. temperature
Galileo named these features on the moon because they looked like "stars"? a) rilles b) basins c) tides d) maria
d) maria
Orion is a: a) circumpolar constellation at 45 degrees N b) zodiac constellation c) asterism d) none of the above
d) none of the above
When using circular maps like the one in your textbooks, the center of the circle represents the a) horizon b) North star c) celestial equator d) overhead point
d) overhead point
Which observation made by Galileo proves the solar system is heliocentric? a) sunspots b) mountains on the moon c) moons around Jupiter d) phases of Venus
d) phases of Venus
Polaris will not always be the "north star" due to this motion of the Earth: a) retrograde b) rotation c) revolution d) precession
d) precession
In the nuclear fusion reaction that powers the sun, helium is ultimately formed from the collision of a) positrons b) neutrinos c) spicules d) protons
d) protons
When a star is about to die, the first stage that is visible to us of this process is that the star becomes a a) blue giant b) black hole c) white dwarf d) red giant
d) red giant
What causes a comedy ion tail to point away from the sun? a) solar flares b) sublimation c) Earth's magnetic field d) solar wind
d) solar wind
Your birth sign is a) the circumpolar constellation that is right side up on your birthday b) the constellation that is overhead at the moment of your birth c) the constellation behind the sun on the vernal equinox d) the constellation behind the sun at the moment of your birth
d) the constellation behind the sun at the moment of your birth
Meteor showers are named for a) the comet that produced them b) the person who discovered them c) the time of year we see them d) the constellation that contains their radiant point
d) the constellation that contains their radiant point
We see radio waves pulsing from a pulsar because a) hydrogen atoms are changing from parallel to antiparallel spin states b) the star is changing its size periodically c) the radio source in the core turns on and off d) the star is rotating like a lighthouse
d) the star is rotating like a lighthouse
When the moon is at new or full phase, we expect spring tides. This is because a) the moon is only new or full during spring in the northern hemisphere b) the moon must be at perigee and this closeness increases gravity c) the moon is only new or full at apogee which reduces the tides d) the sun and the moon act in the same line when the moon is new or full
d) the sun and the.moon act in the same line when the moon is new or full
Comets and asteroids have such odd shapes because a) they keep colliding with each other which breaks them b) they have collided with earth c) the original planet they made up exploded d) they have too little gravity to collapse into a sphere
d) they have too little gravity to collapse into a sphere
