Review for Astronomy 5 Final

Which of the following has your "address" in the correct order?

• you, Earth, solar system, Milky Way, Local Group, Local Supercluster

• you, Earth, solar system, Local Group, Milky Way, Local Supercluster

• you, Earth, solar system, Local Group, Local Supercluster, Milky Way

• you, Earth, Local Group, Local Supercluster, solar system, Milky Way

• you, Earth, solar system, Milky Way, Local Supercluster, Local Group

Roughly how many stars are in the Milky Way Galaxy?

• 10 billion

• 1 billion

• 100 million

• 100 trillion

• 100 billion

Which scientists played a major role in overturning the ancient idea of an Earth-centered universe, and about when?

• Aristotle and Copernicus; about 400 years ago

• Huygens and Newton; about 300 years ago

• Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo; about 400 years ago

• Newton and Einstein; about 100 years ago

• Aristotle and Plato; about 2,000 years ago

What is an astronomical unit?

• the average distance from Earth to the Sun

• any basic unit used in astronomy

• the length of time it takes Earth to revolve around the Sun

• the average speed of Earth around the Sun

• the diameter of Earth's orbit around the Sun

Which of the following statements about the celestial sphere is not true?

• The celestial sphere does not exist physically.

• Earth is placed at the center of the celestial sphere.

• The "celestial sphere" is just another name for our universe.

• From any location on Earth, we can see only half the celestial sphere at any one time.

• When we look in the sky, the stars all appear to be located on the celestial sphere.

Which of the following statements about the celestial equator is true at all latitudes?

• It cuts the dome of your sky exactly in half.

• It lies along the band of light we call the Milky Way.

• It represents an extension of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere.

• It extends from your horizon due north, through your zenith, to your horizon due south.

• It extends from your horizon due east, through your zenith, to your horizon due west.

What is the ecliptic?

• the Moon's apparent path along the celestial sphere

• the Sun's apparent path along the celestial sphere

• when the Moon passes in front of the Sun

• the Sun's daily path across the sky

• the constellations commonly used in astrology to predict the future

Which of the following correctly describes the meridian in your sky?

• a half-circle extending from your horizon due north, through your zenith, to your horizon due south

• the boundary between the portion of the celestial sphere you can see at any moment and the portion that you cannot see

• a half-circle extending from your horizon due east, through your zenith, to your horizon due west

• a half-circle extending from your horizon due east, through the north celestial pole, to your horizon due west

• the point directly over your head

How many arcseconds are in 1°?

• 100

• 3,600

• 60

• 10,000

• 360

What is a circumpolar star?

• a star that always remains above your horizon

• a star that is close to the south celestial pole

• a star that is close to the north celestial pole

• a star that makes a daily circle around the celestial sphere

• a star that is visible from the Arctic or Antarctic circles