Copernicus and the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory

Who was Nicolas Copernicus and what was his major contribution to astronomy?

• An Italian scientist who invented the telescope.

• A German mathematician who discovered the laws of planetary motion.

• A Greek philosopher who believed in a geocentric universe.

• A Polish astronomer who proposed that the Earth and moon revolve around the sun.

Which institutions were involved in designing the new space telescope named after Copernicus?

• Stanford University and Imperial College London

• Harvard University and Oxford University

• Princeton University and University College London

• MIT and Cambridge University

What was significant about the launch of the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory Copernicus?

• It was the first manned mission to Mars.

• It was the first telescope to be launched from Europe.

• It was the largest and most complex unmanned spacecraft sent into orbit from the US.

• It was the first satellite to orbit the moon.

What types of radiation does the Copernicus Observatory study that are not visible from Earth?

• Sound waves and seismic waves

• Only visible light

• Ultraviolet, infrared, gamma, and X-rays

• Radio waves and microwaves

What early discovery did the Copernicus Observatory make about star formation?

• Stars are formed only in the Milky Way galaxy.

• Material needed to form new stars was found where none was thought to exist.

• All stars are stationary and do not rotate.

• Stars are formed from the collision of black holes.