Space Lesson 2: Stars

Which of the following statements best correlates a star’s color and relative temperature?

• A blue star has a relatively low temperature.
• A red star has a relatively high temperature.
• A blue-white star has a relatively low temperature.
• A yellow star has a relatively low temperature

Which statement best describes stars?

• large planets that are composed mostly of gases
• celestial bodies made up of gas that give off light
• faint dots of light that can be seen from Earth’s surface
• objects that form in the outer parts of the solar system

Gloria is at the observatory and is examining a newly discovered star through a powerful telescope. She wants to find out how bright the star actually is. What information does she need to calculate the absolute magnitude of a star?

• color and temperature of the star
• composition and motion of the star
• apparent magnitude and distance from Earth
• color and distance from Earth

Natasia examined a chart listing the characteristics of four stars. Which star would look the dimmest from Earth’s surface?

• star A
• star B
• star C
• star D

The following chart describes the apparent magnitude of various objects in the sky. Which of the following can be concluded from the information in the chart?

• The Sun has the greatest absolute magnitude of the objects listed.
• Sirius’ apparent magnitude is greater than Betelgeuse’s but dimmer than Alpha Centauri’s.
• No tool is listed that can see objects with an apparent magnitude greater than 30.
• People can see all of the celestial bodies listed in the chart without using any special tools.

The table below compiles information about the distance of various stars from Earth, their apparent magnitude, and their absolute magnitude. Which star has the greatest luminosity?

• Sirius
• Rigel
• Arcturus
• Betelgeuse

Solar radius is used to measure the size of stars.  Using the chart, identify which of the following statements is true about star size.

• Hamal is 14 times smaller than the sun
• Polaris is a smaller star than Xi Ursa Majoris.
• Arneb is 74 times larger than the sun.
• Hamal is a smaller star than Delta Bootis