Quiz on Astronomers and Their Discoveries

Fill in the blank: The region identified by astronomers in 1992, which extends up to 9.3 billion miles from the sun, is called the __________.

Open-ended: Why did astronomers reconsider the definition of a planet after the discovery of Eris?

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Fill in the blank: The bright, reflected light from Eris gives the impression that it is __________ than it really is.

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Open-ended: Describe the role of Clyde Tombaugh in the discovery of Pluto.

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What was the main purpose of the robots used by Michael Brown's team?

• To analyze the data collected.

• To control the telescope and take pictures.

• To search for new planets.

• To communicate with other astronomers.

What was the outcome of combining old photographs with contemporary data regarding Eris?

• It confirmed that Eris was much larger than Pluto.

• It provided a more complete view of Eris's size and movements.

• It showed that Eris had no atmosphere.

• It proved that Eris was not a dwarf planet.

What did the astronomers initially estimate about Eris's mass compared to Pluto?

• Eris was smaller than Pluto.

• Eris was the same size as Pluto.

• Eris was 25 to 40 percent more massive than Pluto.

• Eris was twice the size of Pluto.

What technology did Michael Brown's team use to analyze images of the night sky?

• A blink comparator.

• A digital camera and a bank of computers.

• A new type of telescope.

• A satellite.

What is the significance of the Kuiper Belt in the study of our solar system?

• It is where all planets are located.

• It contains many large, icy objects and is a focus of ongoing astronomical research.

• It is the closest region to the sun.

• It has no relevance to the study of planets.

What innovative method did Clyde Tombaugh use to search for Pluto?

• He used a computer program.

• He took wide-angle photographs and used a blink comparator.

• He built a new type of telescope.

• He studied the gravitational pull of planets.