Astronomy 10 Exam 1 UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
What explains the daily rising and setting of the Sun, Moon, and most stars (for most observers
on Earth)? - CORRECT ANSWER - Earths daily rotation on its axis. Observers see the
sky rotating around them
What explains the phases of the Moon? - CORRECT ANSWER - The shadows that the
sun casts on the moon as it rotates around the earth. The earth is always blocking a part of the
sun which is what is causing the shadow, so depending on where the moon is in its rotation
determines how the moon will look that night.
Explain how you would go about "telling time from the Moon." - CORRECT ANSWER -
We are able to see different parts of the moon because it reflects sunlight. The different phases
tells you the relative position of the Sun, meaning we can tell time from the moon. For example,
we know a full moon passes overhead at midnight because it is opposite in the sky from the sun.
Explain what happens during a solar eclipse, and during a lunar eclipse. What
makes lunar eclipses so much more common? - CORRECT ANSWER - Solar eclipse:
when the moon lines up directly between the sun and the earth which blocks the sun from getting
to earth causing a shadow that covers the whole earth.
Lunar eclipse: When earth lines up directly between the sun and the moon, blocking all light
from getting to the moon and casting earths shadow on the moon. This happens about twice a
year when the crosses the ecliptic. During a lunar eclipse, some sunlight will make its way
through the earths atmosphere making the moon look like a dull red orb
Lunar eclipse occur more often because the earths shadow is bigger then the moon
Explain the differences between: A total solar eclipse, an annular (ring-like) solar
eclipse, and a partial solar eclipse. - CORRECT ANSWER - Total solar eclipse: extremely
rare, it is when the earth moon and sun are in perfect alignment and the moon block all of the
sunlight from reaching the earth. This only lasts for a few minutes.
, Annular solar eclipse: The moons orbit around the earth is not particularly circular so sometimes
even when the sun moon and earth are perfectly aligned the moons shadow is not big enough to
cover the whole earth.
Partial solar eclipse: when the moon blocks part of the sunlight from reaching the earth.
During what phases of the Moon do solar and lunar eclipses occur? Why don't solar
and lunar eclipses happen every month? - CORRECT ANSWER - Lunar eclipse happens
during full moons and solar eclipse happens during new moons. They don't happen every month
because in order for them to happen the moon either has to cross the ecliptic for a lunar eclipse
or it has to line up perfectly between the sun and earth which doesn't happen very often at all.
What is the cause of the seasons? - CORRECT ANSWER - Earths rotation around the sun
on its axis at 23.5 degrees relative to the ecliptic plane. The tilt accounts for the number of hours
and average angle of sunlight changing.
What is the meaning of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes? The summer and winter solstices? -
CORRECT ANSWER - The equinoxes are the two dates in a year when daylight and
nighttime are equal in length(12 hours each). The vernal equinox occurs on March 21st and the
autumnal equinox occurs on September 21st.
The solstices are the two dates in a year when daylight in longest (summer solstice) and when
nighttime is longest (winter solstice) The summer solstice occurs on June 21st and the winter
solstice occurs on December 21st.
How close to the equator, in degrees of latitude, should you be if you want to see
the Sun pass directly overhead at some point during the year? - CORRECT ANSWER -
23.5 degrees north (on the Tropic of Cancer)
Looking down from the North pole, does the Earth rotate clockwise or counter-
clockwise? What about the celestial sphere? - CORRECT ANSWER - The earth rotates
eastward on its axis so if you are looking at it from the north (from above the north poll) it is
rotating counterclockwise and the celestial sphere would be rotating clockwise.
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
What explains the daily rising and setting of the Sun, Moon, and most stars (for most observers
on Earth)? - CORRECT ANSWER - Earths daily rotation on its axis. Observers see the
sky rotating around them
What explains the phases of the Moon? - CORRECT ANSWER - The shadows that the
sun casts on the moon as it rotates around the earth. The earth is always blocking a part of the
sun which is what is causing the shadow, so depending on where the moon is in its rotation
determines how the moon will look that night.
Explain how you would go about "telling time from the Moon." - CORRECT ANSWER -
We are able to see different parts of the moon because it reflects sunlight. The different phases
tells you the relative position of the Sun, meaning we can tell time from the moon. For example,
we know a full moon passes overhead at midnight because it is opposite in the sky from the sun.
Explain what happens during a solar eclipse, and during a lunar eclipse. What
makes lunar eclipses so much more common? - CORRECT ANSWER - Solar eclipse:
when the moon lines up directly between the sun and the earth which blocks the sun from getting
to earth causing a shadow that covers the whole earth.
Lunar eclipse: When earth lines up directly between the sun and the moon, blocking all light
from getting to the moon and casting earths shadow on the moon. This happens about twice a
year when the crosses the ecliptic. During a lunar eclipse, some sunlight will make its way
through the earths atmosphere making the moon look like a dull red orb
Lunar eclipse occur more often because the earths shadow is bigger then the moon
Explain the differences between: A total solar eclipse, an annular (ring-like) solar
eclipse, and a partial solar eclipse. - CORRECT ANSWER - Total solar eclipse: extremely
rare, it is when the earth moon and sun are in perfect alignment and the moon block all of the
sunlight from reaching the earth. This only lasts for a few minutes.
, Annular solar eclipse: The moons orbit around the earth is not particularly circular so sometimes
even when the sun moon and earth are perfectly aligned the moons shadow is not big enough to
cover the whole earth.
Partial solar eclipse: when the moon blocks part of the sunlight from reaching the earth.
During what phases of the Moon do solar and lunar eclipses occur? Why don't solar
and lunar eclipses happen every month? - CORRECT ANSWER - Lunar eclipse happens
during full moons and solar eclipse happens during new moons. They don't happen every month
because in order for them to happen the moon either has to cross the ecliptic for a lunar eclipse
or it has to line up perfectly between the sun and earth which doesn't happen very often at all.
What is the cause of the seasons? - CORRECT ANSWER - Earths rotation around the sun
on its axis at 23.5 degrees relative to the ecliptic plane. The tilt accounts for the number of hours
and average angle of sunlight changing.
What is the meaning of the vernal and autumnal equinoxes? The summer and winter solstices? -
CORRECT ANSWER - The equinoxes are the two dates in a year when daylight and
nighttime are equal in length(12 hours each). The vernal equinox occurs on March 21st and the
autumnal equinox occurs on September 21st.
The solstices are the two dates in a year when daylight in longest (summer solstice) and when
nighttime is longest (winter solstice) The summer solstice occurs on June 21st and the winter
solstice occurs on December 21st.
How close to the equator, in degrees of latitude, should you be if you want to see
the Sun pass directly overhead at some point during the year? - CORRECT ANSWER -
23.5 degrees north (on the Tropic of Cancer)
Looking down from the North pole, does the Earth rotate clockwise or counter-
clockwise? What about the celestial sphere? - CORRECT ANSWER - The earth rotates
eastward on its axis so if you are looking at it from the north (from above the north poll) it is
rotating counterclockwise and the celestial sphere would be rotating clockwise.
