Space Shuttle

During which portion of the Earth's revolution around the Sun is the Northern Hemisphere tilted toward the Sun?

• Vernal equinox
• Summer solstice
• Winter solstice
• Autumnal equinox

What is the approximate percentage of the Earth that is illuminated by the Sun at any given time?

• 90%
• 10%
• 25%
• 50%

The sky darkens at midday and the Sun seems to disappear. Minutes later, the Sun reappears and the daylight returns. The best explanation for this is...

• a partial solar eclipse is occurring
• the Moon has created a lunar eclipse
• the Sun has created a lunar eclipse
• the Moon has created a solar eclipse

During a total lunar eclipse, what phenomenon is occurring?

• the Earth passes through the Moon's umbra
• the Moon passes through Earth's umbra
• the Earth passes through the Moon's penumbra
• the Moon passes through Earth's penumbra

In the summer of 2017, parts of the U.S. experienced total darkness in the middle of the day.  What caused this?

• the Moon's umbra passing over the U.S.
• the Earth's penumbra passing over the Moon
• the Moon's penumbra passing over the U.S.
• Earth's umbra passing over the Moon

During which phase of the Moon will the tides be highest?

• Full Moon
• Quarter Moon
• Gibbous Moon
• Crescent Moon

When the Earth is closest to the Sun and the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, we will be experiencing what season?

• Summer
• Fall (Autumn)
• Winter
• Spring

In which position would an observer NOT be able to see the Moon?

• the Moon is in between the Sun and Earth
• the Moon is behind the Earth
• the Moon is at a right angle to the Sun and Earth
• during waxing gibbous phase

The first manned-mission to land on the Moon was commanded by Neil Armstrong and was called...

• Viking 2
• Mariner 7
• Gemini 3
• Apollo 11

Telescopes like the Hubble Space Telescope are put into orbit around the Earth because...

• heavy rainfall and pavement radiation from Earth affecting images
• air traffic and magnetic interference from Earth distorting images
• light pollution and atmospheric interference from Earth distort images
• carbon dioxide and human overpopulation from Earth affect images