AST 220 FINAL EXAM WITH ACCURATE ANSWERS
Right ascension in the sky is very similar to latitude on the Earth. - ANSWER False
Latitude and right ascension are coordinate systems used to find objects on the
celestial sphere. - ANSWER False
The celestial sphere is divided into 88 modern constellations. - ANSWER True
In the sky, declination is measured in degrees north or south of the celestial equator. -
ANSWER True
The south celestial pole is located at a declination of -90 degrees. - ANSWER True
In general, the brightest star in a given constellation is designated as alpha. - ANSWER
True
Constellations are close clusters of stars, all at about the same distance from the Sun. -
ANSWER False
The closest terrestrial analog to hours of right ascension is angle of longitude. -
ANSWER True
Over 20,000 stars are visible to the naked eye on the darkest, clearest nights. - ANSWER
False
A tropical year is the same as a sidereal year. - ANSWER False
The sidereal day is determined by the Earth's rotation with respect to the stars. -
ANSWER True
The vernal equinox marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. -
ANSWER True
There are 3,600 arc seconds in a degree. - ANSWER True
An hour of right ascension corresponds to 60 degrees in the sky. - ANSWER False
From Earth, the Sun and Moon have about the same angular diameter. - ANSWER True
At the solstices, the Sun's declination will be 23.5 degrees from the equator. - ANSWER
True
At the equinoxes, the declination of the Sun must be zero degrees. - ANSWER True
As it orbits the Earth, the Moon appears to move its own diameter (0.5 degrees)
eastward every hour against the background stars. - ANSWER True
From full moon to third quarter moon takes about a week. - ANSWER True
,Only people in the Moon's umbral shadow can see a total solar eclipse. - ANSWER True
If we are the Moon's penumbra, then we will see a partial lunar eclipse. - ANSWER True
There is a solar eclipse of some kind every new moon. - ANSWER False
Eighteen days past new moon, the Moon's phase is waning gibbous. - ANSWER True
A total solar eclipse will only occur when the new moon is both on the ecliptic and at its
greatest distance from Earth. - ANSWER False
The larger the parallax shift, the closer an object is to us. - ANSWER True
The parallax shift for all stars is very small. - ANSWER True
In the scientific method, it is not necessary to test your theory. - ANSWER False
Drawing on Eratosthenes' method, if two observers are due north and south of each
other and are separated by 400 km, what is the circumference of their spherical world if
they see the same star on their meridian at altitudes of 23 degrees and 47 degrees
respectively, and at the exact same time?
A) 8,000 km
B) 4,000 km
C) 6,000 km
D) 2,000 km
E) 12,000 km - ANSWER C
The star Wolf 1061 has a parallax of 2.34 arc seconds, while the star Ross 652 has a
parallax of 1.70 arc seconds. What can you correctly conclude?
A) Wolf 1061 is closer to Earth than Ross 652.
B) Wolf 1061 must have a larger proper motion than Ross 652.
C) Ross 652 is closer to Earth than Wolf 1061.
D) Ross 652 must have a larger proper motion than Wolf 1061.
E) Both stars are outside the Milky Way galaxy. - ANSWER A
The greatest distance above or below the ecliptic the Moon can move is
A) 5.2 degrees.
B) 27.3 degrees.
C) 29.5 degrees.
,D) 23.5 degrees.
E) 30 degrees. - ANSWER A
In an annular eclipse,
A) the Sun is partially blocked by the Earth.
B) the Moon appears as a thin, bright ring.
C) the Sun is totally blocked by the Moon.
D) the Moon is totally blocked by the Earth.
E) the Sun appears as a thin, bright ring. - ANSWER E
If you are in the Earth's umbra on the Earth's surface, then
A) it must be a total solar eclipse.
B) it is night time.
C) the Moon is always visible.
D) it must be a lunar eclipse of some type.
E) the Sun is always visible. - ANSWER A
The synodic month is
A) 29.5 days.
B) the basis of the year we use in our modern calendar.
C) based on the Moon's position relative to the stars.
D) about two days shorter than the sidereal month.
E) caused by both the Earth's and Moon's rotations. - ANSWER A
If the Moon appears half lit, and is almost overhead about 6:00 AM, its phase is
A) first quarter.
B) waning crescent.
, C) waxing crescent.
D) full.
E) third quarter. - ANSWER E
If new moon fell on March 2nd, what is the Moon's phase on March 14th?
A) waxing crescent
B) first quarter
C) waxing gibbous
D) waning crescent
E) full - ANSWER C
A solar eclipse can only happen during a
A) first quarter moon.
B) perihelion passage of the Sun.
C) new moon.
D) full moon.
E) solstice. - ANSWER D
What will occur when the full moon is on the ecliptic?
A) a partial solar eclipse
B) a total lunar eclipse
C) a partial lunar eclipse if the Moon is at perigee
D) a total solar eclipse
E) an annular lunar eclipse - ANSWER B
If you are in the Moon's umbral shadow, then you are witnessing
A) nighttime.
Right ascension in the sky is very similar to latitude on the Earth. - ANSWER False
Latitude and right ascension are coordinate systems used to find objects on the
celestial sphere. - ANSWER False
The celestial sphere is divided into 88 modern constellations. - ANSWER True
In the sky, declination is measured in degrees north or south of the celestial equator. -
ANSWER True
The south celestial pole is located at a declination of -90 degrees. - ANSWER True
In general, the brightest star in a given constellation is designated as alpha. - ANSWER
True
Constellations are close clusters of stars, all at about the same distance from the Sun. -
ANSWER False
The closest terrestrial analog to hours of right ascension is angle of longitude. -
ANSWER True
Over 20,000 stars are visible to the naked eye on the darkest, clearest nights. - ANSWER
False
A tropical year is the same as a sidereal year. - ANSWER False
The sidereal day is determined by the Earth's rotation with respect to the stars. -
ANSWER True
The vernal equinox marks the beginning of spring in the northern hemisphere. -
ANSWER True
There are 3,600 arc seconds in a degree. - ANSWER True
An hour of right ascension corresponds to 60 degrees in the sky. - ANSWER False
From Earth, the Sun and Moon have about the same angular diameter. - ANSWER True
At the solstices, the Sun's declination will be 23.5 degrees from the equator. - ANSWER
True
At the equinoxes, the declination of the Sun must be zero degrees. - ANSWER True
As it orbits the Earth, the Moon appears to move its own diameter (0.5 degrees)
eastward every hour against the background stars. - ANSWER True
From full moon to third quarter moon takes about a week. - ANSWER True
,Only people in the Moon's umbral shadow can see a total solar eclipse. - ANSWER True
If we are the Moon's penumbra, then we will see a partial lunar eclipse. - ANSWER True
There is a solar eclipse of some kind every new moon. - ANSWER False
Eighteen days past new moon, the Moon's phase is waning gibbous. - ANSWER True
A total solar eclipse will only occur when the new moon is both on the ecliptic and at its
greatest distance from Earth. - ANSWER False
The larger the parallax shift, the closer an object is to us. - ANSWER True
The parallax shift for all stars is very small. - ANSWER True
In the scientific method, it is not necessary to test your theory. - ANSWER False
Drawing on Eratosthenes' method, if two observers are due north and south of each
other and are separated by 400 km, what is the circumference of their spherical world if
they see the same star on their meridian at altitudes of 23 degrees and 47 degrees
respectively, and at the exact same time?
A) 8,000 km
B) 4,000 km
C) 6,000 km
D) 2,000 km
E) 12,000 km - ANSWER C
The star Wolf 1061 has a parallax of 2.34 arc seconds, while the star Ross 652 has a
parallax of 1.70 arc seconds. What can you correctly conclude?
A) Wolf 1061 is closer to Earth than Ross 652.
B) Wolf 1061 must have a larger proper motion than Ross 652.
C) Ross 652 is closer to Earth than Wolf 1061.
D) Ross 652 must have a larger proper motion than Wolf 1061.
E) Both stars are outside the Milky Way galaxy. - ANSWER A
The greatest distance above or below the ecliptic the Moon can move is
A) 5.2 degrees.
B) 27.3 degrees.
C) 29.5 degrees.
,D) 23.5 degrees.
E) 30 degrees. - ANSWER A
In an annular eclipse,
A) the Sun is partially blocked by the Earth.
B) the Moon appears as a thin, bright ring.
C) the Sun is totally blocked by the Moon.
D) the Moon is totally blocked by the Earth.
E) the Sun appears as a thin, bright ring. - ANSWER E
If you are in the Earth's umbra on the Earth's surface, then
A) it must be a total solar eclipse.
B) it is night time.
C) the Moon is always visible.
D) it must be a lunar eclipse of some type.
E) the Sun is always visible. - ANSWER A
The synodic month is
A) 29.5 days.
B) the basis of the year we use in our modern calendar.
C) based on the Moon's position relative to the stars.
D) about two days shorter than the sidereal month.
E) caused by both the Earth's and Moon's rotations. - ANSWER A
If the Moon appears half lit, and is almost overhead about 6:00 AM, its phase is
A) first quarter.
B) waning crescent.
, C) waxing crescent.
D) full.
E) third quarter. - ANSWER E
If new moon fell on March 2nd, what is the Moon's phase on March 14th?
A) waxing crescent
B) first quarter
C) waxing gibbous
D) waning crescent
E) full - ANSWER C
A solar eclipse can only happen during a
A) first quarter moon.
B) perihelion passage of the Sun.
C) new moon.
D) full moon.
E) solstice. - ANSWER D
What will occur when the full moon is on the ecliptic?
A) a partial solar eclipse
B) a total lunar eclipse
C) a partial lunar eclipse if the Moon is at perigee
D) a total solar eclipse
E) an annular lunar eclipse - ANSWER B
If you are in the Moon's umbral shadow, then you are witnessing
A) nighttime.
