Unit 8: Astronomy

If the tilt of Earth's axis were increased from 23.5° to 30°, summers in New York State would become

• cooler, and winters would become cooler

• cooler, and winters would become warmer

• warmer, and winters would become cooler

• warmer, and winters would become warmer

The diagrams represent the constellations seen by an observer in New York State while looking toward the southern horizon at midnight on July 9 and January 8.

Which motion is mainly responsible for the difference in the constellations visible at midnight on these two dates?

• The Sun orbits Earth.

• Earth orbits the Sun.

• The stars in the constellations orbit Earth.

• Earth orbits the stars in the constellations.

The same side of the Moon always faces Earth because the period of revolution of the Moon is

• shorter than the period of rotation of Earth

• shorter than the period of rotation of the Moon

• equal to the period of rotation of Earth

• equal to the period of rotation of the Moon

Eclipses do not occur each time that the Moon revolves around Earth because the Moon's

• orbit is less eccentric than Earth's orbit

• orbit is inclined to Earth's orbit

• diameter is greater than Earth's diameter

• diameter is less than Earth's diameter

How many days (d) are required for the Moon to complete a cycle of phases from one full Moon phase to the next full Moon phase?

• 15.0 d

• 27.3 d

• 29.5 d

• 365.3 d

At which two Moon phases will the difference in height between high tide and low tide most likely be the greatest?

• new Moon and full Moon

• new gibbous and old crescent

• new crescent and old gibbous

• first quarter and last quarter

Which diagram best represents the new gibbous phase of the Moon as seen by an observer in New York State?

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The diagram represents the Moon at one position in its orbit around Earth.

Which diagram represents the phase of the Moon as viewed by an observer in New York State when the Moon is located at the position shown?

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The table shows the times of high tides and low tides for a coastal location.

How much time occurred between the high tides on this day?

• approximately 6.5 hours

• a little less than 12 hours

• almost 12.5 hours

• a little more than 24 hours

The graph shows changing ocean tide heights in feet (ft) on April 7 for a coastal location.

The next high tide will occur on April 8 at approximately

• 10 a.m.

• 10 p.m.

• 3 a.m.

• 3 p.m.