Quiz about Historical Astronomy

Question 1

How did astronomical observations benefit ancient societies? Select all that apply.

Accepted Answer

Kept track of time

Accepted Answer

Helped people who relied on agriculture for survival

Accepted Answer

Kept track of seasons

Answer

Prevented diseases

Question 2

Ancient civilizations achieved all of the following in astronomy EXCEPT...

Accepted Answer

Tracked stages of the star cycle

Answer

Keeping track of the time of day

Answer

Keeping track of the time of year

Answer

Tracked cycles of the Moon

Question 3

What is the geocentric model?

Accepted Answer

Earth-centered solar system

Answer

Sun-centered solar system

Answer

Pluto-centered solar system

Question 4

During the Dark Ages in Europe, who preserved Greek astronomy knowledge?

Accepted Answer

Islamic scholars

Answer

Incans

Answer

Babylonians

Answer

Aztecs

Question 5

What is the heliocentric view?

Accepted Answer

A sun-centered solar system

Answer

A Earth-centered solar system

Answer

A Pluto-centered solar system

Question 6

Stonehenge is located in the United Kingdom.

Accepted Answer

Fact

Answer

Opinion

Question 7

Stonhenge is located in...

Accepted Answer

England

Answer

USA

Answer

Australia

Answer

Scotland

Question 8

Where was the Great Pyramid of Giza built?

Accepted Answer

Egypt.

Answer

Turkey.

Answer

Giza.

Answer

Europe.

Question 9

Around what time period were the pyramids in Egypt built?

Accepted Answer

2550 B.C.

Answer

2018 A.D.

Answer

6000 B.C.

Answer

2500 A.D.

Question 10

The location of the 3 pyramids may have a direct correlation with the belt of constellation __________

Accepted Answer

Orion

Answer

Pleiades

Answer

Big dipper

Answer

Ursa Minor

Question 11

Drew one of the first star maps

Accepted Answer

Chinese

Answer

Mayan

Answer

Inca

Answer

Egyptian

Question 12

How long ago was stonhenge built

Accepted Answer

5,000 years

Answer

500 Yeras

Answer

50,000 years

Answer

50,555 years

Question 13

What is the tallest rock in stonhenge

Accepted Answer

30 ft.

Answer

15 ft.

Answer

30 in.

Answer

31 in.

Question 14

Astrology can be defined as

Accepted Answer

the idea that the positions of the stars and planets at the time of our birth determine our personalities and influence our future.

Answer

the scientific study of celestial objects such as planets, moons and stars.

Answer

the scientific study of astrological phenomena such as the Big Bang Theory.

Answer

the observation of the heavens using telescopes and other instruments.

Question 15

What is thought to be one of the main purposes of building Stonehenge?

Accepted Answer

to predict celestial events and seasons

Answer

to predict the future

Answer

to create a lasting memorial to the gods

Answer

to confound and confuse future historians

Question 16

The ability to predict seasons & celestial events were very important to the ancients because

Accepted Answer

it allowed for crops to be planted and to keep track of time

Answer

otherwise they would not know the time of day.

Answer

there was no other way to figure out planetary movements.

Answer

the phases of the Moon was very important to know.

Question 17

The Maya used a very sophisticated observatory called _______ to study the heavens.

Accepted Answer

the Caracol

Answer

Chichen Itza

Answer

Stonehenge

Answer

the pyramids

Question 18

The 1000 year-old Mayan observatory was much more sophisticated than Stonehenge because it was

Accepted Answer

able to predict the position of Venus and more celestial events.

Answer

located in a more advantageous geographical area.

Answer

created by aliens.

Answer

not as old or broken down.

Question 19

Why was the supernova of 1054 A.D. so important to astronomy?

Accepted Answer

the event was one of the first to be recorded world-wide

Answer

because the Chinese were able to view it

Answer

it was the first time that a star actually blew up

Answer

supernovas were (and still are) fairly common events

Question 20

Why did the Ancient Greeks consider the stars to be "fixed" and non-moving?

Accepted Answer

stars did not change positions over time like planets

Answer

the stars were represented by the gods

Answer

stars were considered to be so old they couldn't move

Answer

they knew that the stars were always there

Question 21

Then Sun & the Moon's movement across the heavens were ______ according to the Ancient Greeks.

Accepted Answer

predictable

Answer

slightly erratic leading to eclipses

Answer

not very predictable

Answer

bizarre

Question 22

Why were planetary motions unpredictable?

Accepted Answer

planets "wandered" or moved in backward loops unexpectedly

Answer

because they were representative of the Greek gods

Answer

ancient peoples had very little insight into the heavens

Answer

they did not represent the stars so they were unpredictable

Question 23

Which astronomer invented the telescope for astronomy?

Accepted Answer

Galileo

Answer

Hawking

Answer

Hubble

Answer

Copernicus

Question 24

Which civilization recorded the supernova of 1054?

Accepted Answer

Chinese

Answer

Pyramids of Giza

Answer

Mayans

Answer

Stonehenge

Question 25

List the following astronomers from the earliest years of contribution to the latest.

Accepted Answer

Aristotle-Copernicus-Newton-Einstein

Answer

Newton-Aristotle-Copernicus-Einstein

Answer

Einstein-Newton-Aristotle-Copernicus

Answer

Newton-Einstein-Aristotle-Copernicus

Question 26

Which astronomer is known as the first female astronomer?

Accepted Answer

Hypatia of Alexandria

Answer

Maria Mitchell

Answer

Henrietta Swan Leavitt

Answer

Annie Jump Cannon

Question 27

What problems did early astronomers face when trying to justify a geocentric model?

Accepted Answer

Retrograde motion of planets farther out than the Earth

Answer

Bodies in the night sky moved from horizon to horizon making people think the Sun was the center

Answer

No observations of bodies in the night sky were observable to make any logical conclusions about celestial orbits

Answer

The lack of evidence for stellar parallax

Question 28

Which of the following was not a motivation for ancient people to who studied astronomy?

Accepted Answer

architecture

Answer

religion

Answer

weather prediction

Answer

agriculture

Question 29

Astronomy has little to no connection with other branches of science such as physics, chemistry, and geology.

Accepted Answer

False

Answer

True

Question 30

Which object orbits Earth in both the Earth-centered (geocentric) and Sun-centered (heliocentric) models of our solar system?

Accepted Answer

Moon

Answer

Earth

Answer

Sun

Answer

Polaris

Question 31

The term Zodiac refers to ...

Accepted Answer

a group of constellations lying near the ecliptic

Answer

the head of the Celestial Empire

Answer

a method for making astrological predictions

Answer

the light from Saturn's rings

Question 32

Why was astronomy important to the people of ancient Egypt?

Accepted Answer

They used the stars to predict the annual flooding of the Nile river

Answer

They were fascinated by the night sky

Answer

They needed to know when the moon would be eclipsed by the Earth

Answer

They wanted to know how the alignment of the stars affected their everyday lives

Question 33

What was most likely the main reason a primitive civilization would study the night sky?

Accepted Answer

To make sense of the world around them, usually through religion with astronomy

Answer

To learn more about the universe

Answer

To explain the motion of the planets

Answer

They had a deep fascination with the night sky

Question 34

The Mayan calendar consisted of how many different calendars combined into one?

Accepted Answer

Three

Answer

one

Answer

Two

Answer

Four

Question 35

Why was it important for American Indians to study astrological events?

Accepted Answer

To know when to plant, harvest, and determine seasonal change.

Answer

To determine what time of day it was.

Answer

To determine when the autumnal equinox would occur.

Answer

To determine when the sun would rise and set.

Question 36

What is the study of Archaeoastronomy?

Accepted Answer

The study of ancient peoples and their drawings and structures, combined with the study of astronomy

Answer

The study of everything beyond Earth

Answer

The study of astronomy of the past

Answer

The study of the solar and lunar cycles on Earth

Question 37

One of the main goals of ancient astronomers was to ____________ .

Accepted Answer

create a reliable calendar

Answer

develop a spacecraft capable of warp travel

Answer

improve warfare

Answer

introduce soap to the unwashed masses

Question 38

The Babylonians are credited with the creation of the first:

Accepted Answer

list of stars with positions

Answer

the discovery of Jupiter's moons

Answer

the first telescope

Answer

the first hilltop observatories

Question 39

Greek astronomers improved upon Babylonian astronomy by:

Accepted Answer

using geometry to explain the motion of celestial bodies

Answer

using telescopes to confirm the Babylonian discoveries

Answer

using observatories with varied instruments and experts

Answer

ignoring the lackluster achievements of their forbearers.

Question 40

What building is this ?

Accepted Answer

Chichen Itza

Answer

Great Wall of China

Answer

Petra

Answer

Mexican Pyramid

Question 41

The mysterious circle of large stones has been interpreted in all of the following ways EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

an ancient governmental building

Answer

temple for sun worship

Answer

a healing center

Answer

a burial site

Question 42

Which constellation pattern is over 14,000 years old

Accepted Answer

the big bear

Answer

Orion

Answer

The big dog

Answer

Pleiades

Question 43

Many of the original stones at Stonehenge have disappeared or fallen down.

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

False

Question 44

The Heel Stone (of Stonehenge) is the stone that points directly towards the Summer Solstice.

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

False

Question 45

The largest stone in Stonehenge was 40 tons.

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

False

Question 46

The biggest stones in Stonehenge were dragged 18 miles.

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

False

Question 47

Archaeoastronomy is the study of how ancient people pointed structures to certain astronomical events.

Accepted Answer

True

Answer

False

Question 48

Ancient Astronomers used the stars to...

Accepted Answer

All of the above

Answer

Tell Time

Answer

To determine directions

Answer

to know when to plant and harvest

Answer

None of the above

Question 49

Which civilization used integral Calculus about 200 B.C.E to follow the position of Jupiter in the sky (which was over 1100 years since Newton? 's Discovery)

Accepted Answer

Babylonians

Answer

Greeks

Answer

Indians

Answer

Chinese

Question 50

The first 365 day solar calendar was developed by which civilization?

Accepted Answer

Egyptian

Answer

Mayan

Answer

Incan

Answer

Aztec

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