Quiz on Ancient Greek Astronomy and Models of the Universe

How did the Greeks deduce that the Earth is spherical?

• By measuring the Earth's diameter

• By the circular shadow during lunar eclipses

• By the shape of the moon

• By observing the stars

What did ancient Egyptians track that corresponded to the flooding of the Nile?

• The phases of the moon

• The yearly cycle of the star Sirius

• The position of Venus

• The movement of Mars

What is diurnal motion?

• The motion of planets around the sun

• The daily motion of stars due to Earth's rotation

• The movement of the moon

• The yearly motion of stars

What are equinoxes?

• Days when the stars are fixed

• Days when the moon is full

• Days when the sun crosses the celestial equator

• Days when the sun is at its highest point

Who discovered the concept of precession?

• Johannes Kepler

• Hipparchus

• Tycho Brahe

• Eratosthenes

What is the Law of Ellipse according to Kepler?

• Orbits are circular

• Orbits are straight lines

• Orbits are elliptical with the Sun at one focus

• Orbits are random

What does the Law of Equal Areas state?

• All planets orbit the Sun in circles

• A line joining a planet and the Sun sweeps out equal areas in equal time

• Planets move fastest when farthest from the Sun

• Planets move at constant speed

What is an eclipse?

• The rotation of the Earth

• The revolution of planets

• When the Earth or moon casts a shadow on each other

• The movement of stars

What is the apparent yearly motion of stars due to Earth's revolution called?

• Celestial motion

• Annual motion

• Diurnal motion

• Ecliptic motion

What did the ancient Greeks call 'wandering stars'?

• Constellations

• Planets

• Fixed stars

• Comets