Measuring The Stars

Which statement best describes "stellar parallax" when measuring star distance?

• as a term used for "parsec"

• as another term used for "light year"

• the geometric term for stellar angles

• the apparent shifting of a star's position over a year

Stellar parallax can accurately measure star distances up to about ____ light years away.

• 330

• 4

• 100

• 40

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4

Stellar parallax involves the use of Earth's revolution around the Sun as a

• starting point to launch more powerful telescopes.

• simulated baseline to measure distances.

• reliable means to measure time & therefore distance.

• large baseline.

Tags

NGSS.HS-ESS1-4

Stars within 330 light years of Earth have apparent shifts (very small) that are measured using

• arc degrees.

• arc seconds.

• protractors

• spectroscopes

A "parsec" (pc) is short for

• partial seconds in light years.

• a unit of time.

• parallax in continuity.

• parallax in arc seconds.

A parsec is also a unit of distance (not time) and is equivalent to about

• 100 light years.

• 3.3 light years.

• 3 trillion kilometers.

• 19.8 trillion miles.

A light year is the distance that light travels in one year - or about

• 6 billion miles.

• 6 trillion miles.

• 5.8 billion kilometers.

• 9.6 trillion kilometers.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The nearest star system to our Sun is

• Alpha Centauri.

• Algol.

• Gliese 584.

• Beta Centauri.

The triple star system of Alpha Centauri is located about _____ from Earth.

• 1.3 parsecs

• 4.2 light years

• 13 parsecs

• 42 light years

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-3

The nearest exoplanet to Earth in the "habitable zone" is called Proxima b and orbits the star

• Alpha Centauri "A."

• Alpha Centauri "C."

• Proxima Centauri.

• Alpha Proxima.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-2