Astronomy 104: Exam 1 UPDATED
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Solar System - Correct Answer- Sun, planets, astroids, and comets. 10^10 km= 60 AU
Milky Way Galaxy - Correct Answer- Great island of stars in space held together by gravity,
orbiting a common center. 10^18km= 100,000 ly
Local Group - Correct Answer- Relatively small group of galaxies that surround the milky
way. 3x10^19=3 million ly.
Galaxy Clusters - Correct Answer- Groups of galaxies with more members.
Superclusters - Correct Answer- Clusters of galaxy clusters. 10^21km=100 million ly.
Astronomical Units AU - Correct Answer- Earth' average distance from the sun. 150 million
km= 6 trillion miles.
Lightyear ly - Correct Answer- Distance light can travel in one year. 10 trillion km = 6 trillion
miles.
Star - Correct Answer- Large, glowing ball of gas that generates heat and light through solar
fusion.
Planet - Correct Answer- Moderalty large object that orbits a sun and shines primarily by
reflecting light from its star. MUST 1) orbit a star; 2) be large enough for its own gravity to
make it round. 3) clear most other objects from orbital path. IF only two of these its a dwarf
planet.
Moon - Correct Answer- Object that orbits a planet.
Satellite - Correct Answer- Relatively small rocky object that orbits a sun.
, Asteroid - Correct Answer- Relatively small icy object that orbits a sun.
Small Solar System Body - Correct Answer- Asteroid, comet or other object that orbits a sun
but is too small to be a dwarf planet.
Star System - Correct Answer- A star or more and any planets that orbit it.
Observable Universe - Correct Answer- Portion of the entire universe that can be seen from
Earth, at least in principal.
Rotation - Correct Answer- Spinning of an object around its own axis. Fastest at equator and
slowest at poles
Orbit/Revolution - Correct Answer- Orbital movement of one object around another due to
gravity.
Expansion - Correct Answer- Most galaxies, expect the local group, are moving away from
us. Results of whole universe expanding not the individual motion of the galaxies. Ex: Raisin
Bread.
Life Cycle of a Star - Correct Answer- Gravity condenses material into a cloud. When dense
enough it begins to generate energy via nuclear fusion. Dies when material is exhausted.
Nuclear Fusion - Correct Answer- Lightweight atomic nuclei smash together and fuse to
make heavy nuclei.
Supernova - Correct Answer- Returned mixed matter in an explosion.
Cosmic Address - Correct Answer- Earth, Solar System, Orion-Cygnus Arm, Milkyway
Galaxy, Local Group, Virgo Supercluster, Universe.
Distances in Space - Correct Answer- Brightness cannot be used to estimate distance.
Questions and CORRECT Answers
Solar System - Correct Answer- Sun, planets, astroids, and comets. 10^10 km= 60 AU
Milky Way Galaxy - Correct Answer- Great island of stars in space held together by gravity,
orbiting a common center. 10^18km= 100,000 ly
Local Group - Correct Answer- Relatively small group of galaxies that surround the milky
way. 3x10^19=3 million ly.
Galaxy Clusters - Correct Answer- Groups of galaxies with more members.
Superclusters - Correct Answer- Clusters of galaxy clusters. 10^21km=100 million ly.
Astronomical Units AU - Correct Answer- Earth' average distance from the sun. 150 million
km= 6 trillion miles.
Lightyear ly - Correct Answer- Distance light can travel in one year. 10 trillion km = 6 trillion
miles.
Star - Correct Answer- Large, glowing ball of gas that generates heat and light through solar
fusion.
Planet - Correct Answer- Moderalty large object that orbits a sun and shines primarily by
reflecting light from its star. MUST 1) orbit a star; 2) be large enough for its own gravity to
make it round. 3) clear most other objects from orbital path. IF only two of these its a dwarf
planet.
Moon - Correct Answer- Object that orbits a planet.
Satellite - Correct Answer- Relatively small rocky object that orbits a sun.
, Asteroid - Correct Answer- Relatively small icy object that orbits a sun.
Small Solar System Body - Correct Answer- Asteroid, comet or other object that orbits a sun
but is too small to be a dwarf planet.
Star System - Correct Answer- A star or more and any planets that orbit it.
Observable Universe - Correct Answer- Portion of the entire universe that can be seen from
Earth, at least in principal.
Rotation - Correct Answer- Spinning of an object around its own axis. Fastest at equator and
slowest at poles
Orbit/Revolution - Correct Answer- Orbital movement of one object around another due to
gravity.
Expansion - Correct Answer- Most galaxies, expect the local group, are moving away from
us. Results of whole universe expanding not the individual motion of the galaxies. Ex: Raisin
Bread.
Life Cycle of a Star - Correct Answer- Gravity condenses material into a cloud. When dense
enough it begins to generate energy via nuclear fusion. Dies when material is exhausted.
Nuclear Fusion - Correct Answer- Lightweight atomic nuclei smash together and fuse to
make heavy nuclei.
Supernova - Correct Answer- Returned mixed matter in an explosion.
Cosmic Address - Correct Answer- Earth, Solar System, Orion-Cygnus Arm, Milkyway
Galaxy, Local Group, Virgo Supercluster, Universe.
Distances in Space - Correct Answer- Brightness cannot be used to estimate distance.
