ASTRO 7N EXAM 1 INTRODUCTION TO
ASTRONOMY MODULE NOTES AND
FUNDAMENTAL SPACE SCIENCE
CONCEPTS 2026 MASTER RESOURCE
◉ How much of the total surface area of the Moon is illuminated by
Sunlight during the Full Moon phase?
Answer: one half
◉ At approximately what time does the third quarter Moon rise?
Answer: sunrise 6am
◉ approximately two weeks after a solar eclipse, what phase will the
moon be in?
Answer: full moon
it takes about a month to get a new moon - so a full moon is the half
mark (2 weeks)
◉ A moon orbits is exactly the same plane as the planet orbits its
star. How often does this planet experience a solar eclipse?
Answer: once every orbit of its moon (its month)
,◉ Constellations
Answer: constellation = large defined areas of the sky (like states in
a map of a country)
- anything visibly within that region is considered "in" that
constellation
- there are 88 of them, in all (dividing up the total celestial sphere)
• Stars in the same constellation are likely to be at very different
distances from us. Not necessarily close to each other, though they
appear close projected on our sky.
• Different constellations are visible at different times of year; e.g.,
"Orion the Hunter" is prominent in the Winter — because as the
Earth travels around the Sun, its nighttime side faces different
regions of space.
• ecliptic = the apparent path of the Sun over the course of a year,
with respect to the distant stars — also refers to the plane in which
the Earth orbits the Sun.
• Zodiac constellations = the 12 (or 13) constellations that lie along
the ecliptic.
,• The Sun is inside a Zodiac constellation at all times = in each one
for about a month, each year.
- During that time you cannot see that constellation since it is
behind the Sun all day and not on the nighttime side of Earth.
• The Sun was in the constellation of your Zodiac "sign" during the
month you were born. (You cannot see it at night at that time of year;
you must wait six months.)
• Winter Zodiac constellations = ones opposite the Sun in the winter
• Summer Zodiac constellations = ones opposite the Sun in the
summer
◉ At winter solstice, december 21, at noon, the sun is in
Answer: sagittarius
◉ At midnight on March 21, we would be looking at___assuming the
sky is clear
Answer: virgo
◉ Asterisms
Answer: a small group of stars that are used to form a picture or
represent an object Ibig dipper)
, drawn by connecting the brightest, easiest-to-see, starts as seen
from earth
brightest start tends to be the one closest to earth
◉ from earth, in which constellation might you find the planet
Saturn
Answer: Tarus
◉ Why don't we see the constellation Orion at night throughout the
year?
Answer: As the earth orbits the sun, its nighttime side points to
different constellations at different points along its orbit
◉ when is the best time for you to be able to see the constellation
that is your sign of the zodiac
Answer: at middnight sex months after your birthday
◉ Constellations close to the north pole of earth___
Answer: Move in a circle around the North star, Polaris, over the
course of a single night.
ASTRONOMY MODULE NOTES AND
FUNDAMENTAL SPACE SCIENCE
CONCEPTS 2026 MASTER RESOURCE
◉ How much of the total surface area of the Moon is illuminated by
Sunlight during the Full Moon phase?
Answer: one half
◉ At approximately what time does the third quarter Moon rise?
Answer: sunrise 6am
◉ approximately two weeks after a solar eclipse, what phase will the
moon be in?
Answer: full moon
it takes about a month to get a new moon - so a full moon is the half
mark (2 weeks)
◉ A moon orbits is exactly the same plane as the planet orbits its
star. How often does this planet experience a solar eclipse?
Answer: once every orbit of its moon (its month)
,◉ Constellations
Answer: constellation = large defined areas of the sky (like states in
a map of a country)
- anything visibly within that region is considered "in" that
constellation
- there are 88 of them, in all (dividing up the total celestial sphere)
• Stars in the same constellation are likely to be at very different
distances from us. Not necessarily close to each other, though they
appear close projected on our sky.
• Different constellations are visible at different times of year; e.g.,
"Orion the Hunter" is prominent in the Winter — because as the
Earth travels around the Sun, its nighttime side faces different
regions of space.
• ecliptic = the apparent path of the Sun over the course of a year,
with respect to the distant stars — also refers to the plane in which
the Earth orbits the Sun.
• Zodiac constellations = the 12 (or 13) constellations that lie along
the ecliptic.
,• The Sun is inside a Zodiac constellation at all times = in each one
for about a month, each year.
- During that time you cannot see that constellation since it is
behind the Sun all day and not on the nighttime side of Earth.
• The Sun was in the constellation of your Zodiac "sign" during the
month you were born. (You cannot see it at night at that time of year;
you must wait six months.)
• Winter Zodiac constellations = ones opposite the Sun in the winter
• Summer Zodiac constellations = ones opposite the Sun in the
summer
◉ At winter solstice, december 21, at noon, the sun is in
Answer: sagittarius
◉ At midnight on March 21, we would be looking at___assuming the
sky is clear
Answer: virgo
◉ Asterisms
Answer: a small group of stars that are used to form a picture or
represent an object Ibig dipper)
, drawn by connecting the brightest, easiest-to-see, starts as seen
from earth
brightest start tends to be the one closest to earth
◉ from earth, in which constellation might you find the planet
Saturn
Answer: Tarus
◉ Why don't we see the constellation Orion at night throughout the
year?
Answer: As the earth orbits the sun, its nighttime side points to
different constellations at different points along its orbit
◉ when is the best time for you to be able to see the constellation
that is your sign of the zodiac
Answer: at middnight sex months after your birthday
◉ Constellations close to the north pole of earth___
Answer: Move in a circle around the North star, Polaris, over the
course of a single night.
