Astronomy: Cycles of the Sky

Directly above Earth's equator lies the _____________ in the sky.

• Tropic of Cancer

• ecliptic

• South Celestial Pole

• North Celestial Pole

• Celestial equator

All celestial objects rise in the east and set in the west because

• Earth is rotating from east to west.

• Earth is rotating from west to east.

• Earth is orbiting around the Sun from east to west.

• the celestial sphere is rotating from east to west.

What is the ecliptic?

• the line of the solar and lunar eclipses on the celestial sphere

• the extension of Earth's path on the celestial sphere

• the elliptical shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun

• All of these choices are correct.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which of the following statement(s) describes the ecliptic?

• the path of the Moon on the celestial sphere

• the extension of Earth's equator on the celestial sphere

• the extension of Earth's path on the celestial sphere

• the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere

• the extension of Earth's equator on the celestial sphere and the apparent path of the Sun across the celestial sphere are correct.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

For someone in the Northern Hemisphere stars rise in the east and set in the west. For someone in the Southern Hemisphere

• the situation is the same—stars also rise in the east and set in the west.

• the opposite is true—stars rise in the west and set in the east.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

Which of the following statements regarding the motion of objects on the celestial sphere is true?

• The Sun moves along the Celestial Equator.

• The Moon moves along the Celestial Equator.

• The stars move along the zodiac.

• The stars move parallel to the Celestial Equator.

The zodiac is tilted by 23.5 degrees relative to the Celestial Equator.

• TRUE

• FALSE

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

What is the celestial sphere?

• an observatory dome

• the Sun

• Earth

• the imaginary sphere of the sky, on which stars lie

What do we call a specific pattern of stars in the sky, often named for an animal?

• a cluster

• a star animal

• a constellation

• the ecliptic

The celestial equator is always located ________.

• running due east to due west, 90 degrees from the north Celestial Pole

• at the same position as the Earth's equator

• directly above the observer's zenith

• parallel to the ecliptic plane