Eclipses, Tides, and Moon Phases Vocabulary Quiz

What is aphelion?

• A. The point in the orbit closest to the sun.
• B. The point in the orbit farthest from the sun.
• C. The midpoint of a planet's orbit.

Which term refers to an imaginary line about which a body rotates?

• A. Crescent
• B. Axis
• C. Eclipse

What does the term "crescent" describe?

• A. A planet's rotation speed.
• B. The shape of a thin, illuminated sliver of the moon or a planet's disk.
• C. The point in a planet's orbit closest to the sun.

An eclipse occurs when:

• A. A planet is farthest from the sun.
• B. One celestial body moves into the shadow of another.
• C. The sun crosses the celestial equator.

During which event does Earth experience approximately equal day and night lengths?

• A. Aphelion
• B. Equinox
• C. Solstice

What phase is the moon in when more than half but not all of its illuminated hemisphere is visible?

• A. Waxing
• B. Gibbous
• C. Totality

What is totality in the context of eclipses?

• A. The point in a planet's orbit closest to the sun.
• B. The phase when the celestial bodies are aligned, causing complete obscuration.
• C. The midpoint of a planet's orbit.

Which term is related to the moon?

• A. Lunar
• B. Waning
• C. Revolution

What does "waning" describe in celestial terms?

• A. The decrease in the visible illuminated portion of a celestial body.
• B. The increase in the visible illuminated portion of a celestial body.
• C. The point in a planet's orbit farthest from the sun.

What is the orbital motion of one celestial body around another called?

• A. Waning
• B. Revolution
• C. Tidal Bulge