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WorksheetsGalaxies and Constellations
Total questions: 79
Worksheet time: 40mins
Before a star there is a ___
nebula
cloud of gas and dust
all of these
higher local density of material in space
Before a solar system there is a ___
nebula
cloud of gas and dust
all of these
higher local density of material in space
Before a galaxy there is a ___
nebula
cloud of gas and dust
all of these
higher local density of material in space
how old is the universe?
5 billion years
14 billion years
5 trillion years
14 trillion years
how old is Sol?
5 billion years
14 billion years
5 trillion years
14 trillion years
how old is Earth?
5 billion years
14 billion years
5 trillion years
14 trillion years
Our sun contains ___% of the mass of the solar system
99.8%
98%
85%
50%
Which is not a main sequence star?
white dwarf
yellow dwarf
red dwarf
Which is a dead star? There is no more fusion.
white dwarf
yellow dwarf
red dwarf
Which is our star?
white dwarf
yellow dwarf
red dwarf
___ fusion is the energy source for stars
nuclear
atomic
The nucleus of an atom is made of
protons
neutrons
protons and neutrons
electrons
If the atom is a professional football stadium, the nucleus is a ___ at the center
basketball court
basketball
marble or golf ball
Gas, liquid, solid, and PLASMA. What is plasma?
The fourth state of matter
extremely dense and hot with astoundingly high pressure
a violent soup of dissociated nuclei and electrons
all of these
The first phase of NUCLEAR fusion and the one happening in main sequence stars is
hydrogen to helium
helium to carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen
everything up to and including Fe - iron - #26
all the nuclei above # 26
After main sequence stars there is a giant phase where ___ NUCLEAR fusion is powering the star
hydrogen to helium
helium to carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen
everything up to and including Fe - iron - #26
all the nuclei above # 26
Our Sol will only be capable of NUCLEAR fusion of ___ in its red giant phase
hydrogen to helium
helium to carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen
everything up to and including Fe - iron - #26
all the nuclei above # 26
A massive star will be capable of NUCLEAR fusion of ___ in its red giant phase. It's more than our Sol can do.
hydrogen to helium
helium to carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen
everything up to and including Fe - iron - #26
all the nuclei above # 26
A red supergiant will supernova and in that extremely violent reaction ___ are created.
hydrogen to helium
helium to carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen
everything up to and including Fe - iron - #26
all the nuclei above # 26
Our solar system is known to be the remnants of a supernova (2nd generation) because ___ exist in us and in the crust of Earth.
hydrogen to helium
helium to carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen
everything up to and including Fe - iron - #26
all the nuclei above # 26
Main sequence stars (but not a red dwarf) will eventually collapse because
the force of gravity pulls the star inward
they run out of the hydrogen nuclear fusion fuel that keeps the core hot
heat from the fusion core of stars pushes outward
all of these
red giants and red supergiants will eventually collapse because
the force of gravity pulls the star inward
they run out of the hydrogen nuclear fusion fuel that keeps the core hot
heat from the fusion core of stars pushes outward
all of these
Our Sol will become a red supergiant and then collapse into a
red dwarf
yellow dwarf
white dwarf
neutron star
red supergiants will collapse and
become white dwarves
supernova
After a supernova, the remnants of a red supergiant will collapse into a
neutron star
black hole
one of these options - depends on the mass
SuperSuperMassive Red Supergiants will supernova and become ___ while Massive Red Supergiants will supernova and become ___
black holes, neutron stars
neutrons stars, black holes
A black hole comes from a star that has at least ___ times the mass of Sol
5
10
25
A neutron star comes from a star that has at least ___ times the mass of our star but less than ___ times the mass of Sol
5, 10
10, 50
10, 25
What happens to a red dwarf through its lifetime
It will become a white dwarf
It will become a yellow dwarf
it will remain the same for tens of billions of years
Which one lasts longer, a yellow dwarf or a massive star
yellow dwarf like our Sol
massive star
Which main sequence star leads a shorter, more violent life?
yellow dwarf
massive star
red dwarf
How long until our sun runs out of fuel and collapses to get hotter and become a red giant?
about 5,000,000 years
5,000,000,000 years
5,000,000,000,000 years
Are we happy that we orbit a stable yellow dwarf?
yes - life can continue
no
What is the name of our galaxy?
Sol
Milky Way
Andromeda
What kind of galaxy is the Milky Way?
spiral
barred spiral
irregular
elliptical
How far across is our galaxy? Diameter!
100,000 light years
100,000 miles
5,000 light years
How long would it take light to travel from one edge of the galaxy to the other?
100,000 years
5,000 years
100 years
Milky Way is about ___ light years thick at the central bar bulge and ___ light years thick for the rest of the disk.
5,000 - 1,000
1,000 - 5,000
100,000 - 5,000
Milky Way radius is
50,000 light years
100,000 light years
5,000 light years
Our solar system is about ___ way from the center of the galaxy to the edge.
half
one quarter
3/4
Our solar system is about ___ light years from the center of the galaxy to the edge.
25,000
50,000
5,000
Where is our solar system in the Milky Way?
in the middle of a spiral arm
in the bar of the barred spiral
near the center of the galaxy
on the edge of a spur off the edge of a spiral arm
We are happy to live in a calm part of the galaxy far from other stars off the edge of a spiral arm
yes!
We don't, so we can't be happy about it.
There are about ___ stars in the Milky Way and about ___ galaxies in the universe.
100 billion, 100 billion
100 million, 100 million
100,000 - 100,000
We cannot see the center of the universe because of
gas
dust
stars
all of these
What is at the center of our galaxy and many others?
a black hole
a supermassive black hole
a supermassive star
how long does it take our solar system to revolve once around the galaxy
a year
250 years
250 million years
A young black hole has ___ mass than the massive star from which it formed.
more
far more
less
far less
A black hole applies a ___ gravitational force to a nearby star than the force applied by the original massive star from which it collapsed
smaller
larger
You can name the planets in order from the sun, right? Practice!
yes
no
You can name the 4 inner rocky planets, right?
yes
no
you can name the 4 gas giants, right?
yes
no
Ceres and Pluto are ___
red dwarves
dwarf stars
dwarf planets
A constellation is
a collection of stars
an imagined shape in the sky - like a cloud shape you might see
a collection of stars that represents an object, animal, or person - often a cultural myth
How are constellations used by astronomers today?
for locations in the sky
for communication of location of the sky
for naming stars and galaxies and nebulae
all of these
How are constellations used by astrologers today?
for locations in the sky
for analyzing inborn personality
for predicting future directions - for analyzing current events
all of these
According to astrology, your personality is at least partly determined by
the positions of planets and the moon at the moment of your birth
the positions of the constellations at the moment of your birth
both of those
Do you know the moment of your birth? If you don't, you will be told that is the reason for the inaccuracy of your horoscope.
thanks for the information!
no
How many official constellations are there in the sky?
48
40
88
There is good evidence that the classic 48 constellations were invented by the
Greeks (middle)
Romans (later)
Mesopotamians (earliest)
The names we use for the classic constellations are mostly
greek
roman
The 48 classic constellations did not cover the area around
the north pole
the south pole
the classic constellations did not include the stars around the south pole because
the center of civilization was north of the equator
the center of civilization was south of the equator
In Pittsburgh we see ___ constellations as those in Asuncion, Paraguay
all the same
some the same, some different
none of the same
Can you see all the constellations at once on a clear night?
yes
no
are different constellations visible after sunset compared to before sunrise?
yes
no
How long must you wait to see all the constellations of the zodiac?
one night
6 months
one year
Will you have to go to the southern hemisphere if you want to see all the constellations in the sky?
yes
no
The last 40 of the 88 modern constellations were invented after 1500 since ___ technology improved around 1500
travel - boat
telescope
sextant
What was the biggest motivator to map the southern stars?
a complete horoscope
navigation in southern seas
a complete map of the skies
The zodiac constellations are located
along the ecliptic
in various locations in the sky
near the north and south poles
___ on the ecliptic
the sun moves
Earth revolves
every planets revolves
the constellations of the zodiac
all of these
You are a scorpio. That means that Sol
is opposite your sign in the sky
obscures your view of scorpio at your birth
You ___ see the zodiac constellation representing your birth sign on your birthday
cannot
can
there are many cultures in the world. Do they all agree on the constellations in their cultures
yes!
No - constellations are often based on local myths and characters
Up and down are always ___ each other
opposite
perpendicular to
in the same direction as
Up and north are always ___ each other
opposite
perpendicular to
in the same direction as
Down and south are always ___ each other
opposite
perpendicular to
in the same direction as
East and north are always ___ each other
opposite
perpendicular to
in the same direction as
