Earth's Rotation and Revolution

Which of these most closely describes the shape of an ellipse?

• a thin oval

• a straight line

• a short spiral

• a thin crescent

Why are seasonal stars only visible during certain times of the year?

• Their visibility depends on their own orbit around the sun.

• Their visibility depends on Earth’s position relative to the sun.

• Their visibility depends on their position relative to each other.

• Their visibility depends on their position relative to Polaris.

Which of the following accurately describes Earth’s orbital plane?

• It only extends as far as the distance between Earth and the sun.

• Its flat surface stretches past Earth’s orbit and continues forever.

• Its circular shape allows us to trace Earth’s revolution around the sun.

• It can determine the distance between Earth and any star.

Earth rotates on its axis approximately once every

• 365 days.

• 30 days.

• 24 hours.

• 2 weeks.

Around which object(s) does Earth revolve?

• Polaris

• seasonal stars

• the sun

• circumpolar stars

What is Earth's axis?

• the direction in which Earth spins

• a metal pole that protrudes from the center of Earth

• the imaginary point or line that Earth rotates around

• the point at which Earth completes one full rotation

Why is the constellation Scorpius not visible in January?

• The sun and Scorpius are in opposite directions from Earth.

• The sun and Scorpius are in the same direction from Earth.

• Polaris and Scorpius are in the same direction from Earth.

• Orion and Scorpius are in opposite directions from Earth.

Which of the following statements does NOT describe the behavior of a celestial object?

• A comet travels through space.

• The North Star never appears to move.

• The sun appears to move across the sky every day.

• A communications satellite revolves around Earth.

Earth’s rotation is a process that causes

• the sun to appear to rise and set.

• stars to appear to move across the sky.

• celestial objects in space appear to move daily in circular patterns.

• all of the above

Which of these celestial objects would not lie on or near Earth’s orbital plain?

• the sun

• Polaris

• Scorpius

• Orion