WorksheetsAstronomy: Introduction Test Review
Total questions: 60
Worksheet time: 41mins
What is the distance between the Sun and Earth?
10 million km
1 AU
400,000 km
50 million miles
How far is the Moon from Earth?
1 AU
1 million km
10 million miles
400,000 km
How far is the Moon from Earth?
1 AU
1 million km
10 million miles
400,000 km
What season is it in the Northern Hemisphere at position A?
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
What season is it in the Southern Hemisphere at point D?
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
What season is it in the Northern Hemisphere at point C?
Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring
What eclipse is pictured?
Solar Eclipse
Lunar Eclipse
Match the following vocabulary terms to the correct definitions:
meters
the smallest unit of measurement, about 3 feet
kilometers
equivalent to 1,000 meters
astronomical units
the distance between the Sun and Earth
light years
the distance light travels in one year
If measuring the distance between galaxies, the best unit to use is (a) .
If measuring the distance between stars, the best unit to use is (a) .
If measuring the distance between Neptune and the Sun, the best unit to use is (a) .
If measuring the distance between Mercury and Earth, the best unit to use is (a) .
What is a "light year?"
a distance of about 6 trillion miles (9.8 trillion km)
the distance traveled by the speed of light in 1 year
the time traveled by the speed of light in 1 year
a distance of about 6 billion miles (9.8 billion km)
Why do astronomers use light years as a measurement?
because miles & kilometers are sufficient
it's an easier way to describe huge distances
it's an easier way to describe large objects such as stars
because distances in space are extremely vast
It would take a single beam of light about ______ years to travel across the Milky Way.
1 million
10
100,000
1 billion
The visible Universe may contain over _____ trillion galaxies.
100
1
.1
100,000
Which statement best describes constellations?
indecipherable so-called "patterns" that kinda make sense
stars that are fairly close to each other
patterns of stars that resemble animals and/or other objects
pattern of stars in the night sky that reflects a culture
Polaris is also known as the "north star" and will remain so for the next 13,000 years.
True
False
_______ is/are used to find specific objects and constellations on the celestial sphere.
Right ascension
Azimuth
Celestial coordinates
Declination
Right ascension is a projection of ______ into space; declination is a projection of ______.
the north pole, the south pole
coordinates, azimuth
latitude, longitude
longitude, latitude
What is the difference between the angle of measurement terms azimuth & altitude?
altitude is only used to describe elevation
azimuth is a "side to side" circle; altitude is "up & down"
azimuth is a "up & down" circle; altitude is "side to side"
both are projections of latitude & longitude
The solar day is measured from sunrise to sunrise - while the sidereal day is measured from
star rise to star rise.
day to night & then back again.
sunrise to sunset.
star rise to sunset.
Solstices occur when the Sun reaches the highest & lowest position in the sky. This occurs
about once a year.
around March 21st & Sept. 21st.
very rarely.
around June 21st & Dec. 21st.
Equinoxes occur (around March 21st & Sept. 21st) when the Sun appears to be directly
over the Tropic of Capricorn.
over the Tropic of Cancer.
over the Equator.
between the Earth & Moon.
Earth's seasons are caused by
the precession of Earth's axis.
its distance from the Sun.
wobbles in its orbit and axis of rotation.
its tilt; revolution around the Sun, and spherical shape.
Movement of Earth around the sun.
Rotation
Revolution
Spinning of Earth on its axis.
Rotation
Revolution
What is the name of the galaxy we live in?
Andromeda
Milky Way
Whirlpool
Occurs when Earth is positioned between the moon and the sun and when Earth's shadow crosses the lighted half of the moon.
Solar Eclipse
Eclipse
Lunar Eclipse
Perigee
What is the "lunar month" that spans from Full Moon phase to the next Full Moon phase called?
A Synodic Month
A Diurnal Month
A Sidereal Month
An Equinox
This 'lunar month' is described from the Earth's surface from a lunar phase until the time to reach the SAME lunar phase and it takes about 29.5 days.
Sidereal
Synodic
Syzygy
Conjunction
This 'lunar month' is described from the STARS as the time that an outsider (not on Earth) would view the Moon making one full orbit/revolution around the Earth.
Sidereal
Synodic
Syzygy
Conjunction
A "sidereal month" is a period of how many days?
30 days
27.3 days
31.5 days
29.5 days
Why is the synodic month longer than the sidereal month?
After 27.3 days, the Moon must still move further to reach the lunar phase and it takes 2.2 days
After 29.5 days, the Moon must still move further to reach its next phase
After 27.3 days the Moon stops its orbit and reverses for 2.2 days
The time from one Vernal Equinox to the next is called:
Tropical Day
Sidereal Year
Tropical Year
Sidereal Day
The orbital period of one object (moon) around another object (Earth) measured with respect to the stars.
sidereal
magnitude
precession
synodic
Which of the following is true?
A sidereal day is about 4 minutes shorter than a solar day on the Earth
A sidereal day is about 4 minutes longer than a solar day on the Earth
A sidereal day is the same length as a solar day on Earth
A sidereal day is longer than a solar day on Earth
The time required for Earth to complete one orbit around Sun, relative to the stars is a:
sidereal year
synodic year
equatorial year
summer solstice
a slow conical motion of Earth's axis of rotation caused by the gravity of the moon and sun
sideral
precession
synodic
magnitude
How old is our universe?
13.8 thousand years
13.8 million years
13.8 billion years
Why is parallax only useful for the closest stars to Earth?
We can't see the farthest stars.
The farther away a star is, the smaller the parallax angle becomes.
The farther away a star is, the larger the parallax angle becomes.
In order to use parallax to find the distance to nearby stars, astronomers needed an accurate value for the distance from the Earth to the sun. This number is called a(n):
light year
astronomical unit
parsec
The Circumpolar Constellations travel around
Polaris
the sky
the big dipper
the earth
perseus
ursa major
canis major
big dipper
What do you call constellations that are only visible during certain seasons?
The Major Constellations
Northern Constellations
Southern Constellations
Seasonal Constellations
__________ is a constellation in the far northern sky. Its name is Latin for dragon.
Draco
Pegasus
Ursa Major
Orion
What do you call constellations that can be seen year round?
Seasonal Constellations
Circumpolar Constellations
Minor Constellations
Draco's Constellations
How many constellations are in the night sky?
44
48
88
108
Which of these is NOT a Circumpolar Constellation?
Cepheus
Draco
Cassiopeia
Leo
