Ancient Astronomy & Solar System Models

What is thought to be one of the main purposes of building Stonehenge?

• to predict the future

• to predict celestial events and seasons

• to create a lasting memorial to the gods

• to confound and confuse future historians

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The ability to predict seasons & celestial events were very important to the ancients because

• otherwise they would not know the time of day.

• there was no other way to figure out planetary movements.

• it allowed for crops to be planted and to keep track of time

• the phases of the Moon was very important to know.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The Maya used a very sophisticated observatory called _______ to study the heavens.

• Chichen Itza

• Stonehenge

• the pyramids

• the Caracol

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

The 1000 year-old Mayan observatory was much more sophisticated than Stonehenge because it was

• located in a more advantageous geographical area.

• able to predict the position of Venus and more celestial events.

• created by aliens.

• not as old or broken down.

Why was the supernova of 1054 A.D. so important to astronomy?

• because the Chinese were able to view it

• it was the first time that a star actually blew up

• the event was one of the first to be recorded world-wide

• supernovas were (and still are) fairly common events

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-3

Terms like "azimuth" "zenith" and major star names like "Betelgeuse" originated from

• Western European countries during the Renaissance.

• Latin words with roots from the Ancient Greeks.

• Muslim cultures during the Middle Ages.

• Muslim cultures during the Middle Ages.

Why did the Ancient Greeks consider the stars to be "fixed" and non-moving?

• stars did not change positions over time like planets

• the stars were represented by the gods

• stars were considered to be so old they couldn't move

• they knew that the stars were always there

Then Sun & the Moon's movement across the heavens were ______ according to the Ancient Greeks.

• slightly erratic leading to eclipses

• predictable

• not very predictable

• bizarre

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Why were planetary motions unpredictable?

• because they were representative of the Greek gods

• planets "wandered" or moved in backward loops unexpectedly

• ancient peoples had very little insight into the heavens

• they did not represent the stars so they were unpredictable

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2

The "backward loops" that most planets would appear to do once a year is called

• planetary motion.

• retrograde motion.

• prograde motion.

• a mystery.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4