Enrichment Module 2 - Space Exploration (1 of 2)

How long does it take light to travel from the earth to the moon?

• ~ 1 second

• ~2 seconds

• ~3 seconds

• ~4 seconds

How long does it take light to travel to Proxima Centauri (closest star outside our solar system)?

• ~1 light year

• ~2 light years

• ~3 light years

• ~4 light years

We are in the Milky Way galaxy. If we traveled at the speed of light, how long would it take to reach the Andromeda galaxy (nearest galaxy to ours)?

• 500,000 years

• 1.5 million years

• 2.5 million years

• 3.5 million years

Using a telescope, what method is effective for measuring stars no more than a few *thousand* light years away?

• Pythagorean Theorem

• Trigonometric Parallax

• Standard Candle

• Archimedes Postulate

Using the Parallax method to find the distance to a star, how many telescope measurements per year are required?

• 1 measurement (summer

• 2 measurements (summer and winter)

• 3 measurements (summer, autumn, winter)

• 4 measurements (summer, autumn, winter, spring)

Why is the Parallax method ineffective for distances beyond a few thousand light years?

• The parallax shift becomes too small to detect (even when measuring from opposite sides of our sun!)

• Light from our sun overpowers distant stars

• Interstellar radiation causes light from distant stars to become too blurry

• The Moon's orbit around Earth blocks our telescopes

What method is needed for measuring stars that are *millions* of light years away?

• Pythagorean Theorem

• Trigonometric Parallax

• Standard Candle

• Archimedes Postulate

According to the Standard Candle method, what is the relationship between a star's pulse rate (change) and its luminosity (brightness)?

• Pulse rate does not affect a cepheid variable star's brightness

• Slower pulse ➡ brighter star

• Slower pulse ➡ dimmer star

• None of the above

What type of astronomical event allows us to "boost" the Candle Method to measure distances of billions of light years?

• Black hole collapse

• Asteroid reflection

• gravitational pull

• Supernova explosion

Who is the American business tycoon and entrepreneur behind the creation of SpaceX?

• Jeff Bezos

• Oprah Winfrey

• Elon Musk

• Donald Trump