AST1002 EXAM 1 ACTUAL TEST QUESTIONS
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+ PREMIUM
RESOURCE
●● light year
Answer: The distance that light, moving at a constant speed of 300,000
km/s, travels in 1 year. One light year is about 10 trillion kilometers
●● celestial sphere
Answer: Imaginary sphere surrounding Earth to which all objects in the
sky were once considered to be attached
●● celestial equator
Answer: The projection of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere
●● celestial pole
Answer: Projection of Earth's North or South pole onto the celestial
sphere
●● ecliptic
Answer: The apparent path of the Sun, relative to the stars on the
celestial sphere, over the course of a year
,●● autumnal equinox
Answer: Date on which the Sun crosses the celestial equator for moving
southward, occurring on or near September 22
●● vernal equinox
Answer: Date on which the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving
northward, occurring on or near March 21
●● summer solstice
Answer: Point on the ecliptic where the Sun is at its northernmost point
above the celestial equator, occurring on or near June 21.
●● winter solstice
Answer: Point on the ecliptic where the Sun is at its southernmost point
below the celestial equator, occurring on or near December 21
●● north celestial pole
Answer: Point on the celestial sphere directly above Earth's North Pole
●● south celestial pole
Answer: Point on the celestial sphere directly above Earth's South Pole
●● Right ascension
, Answer: Celestial coordinate used to measure longitude on the celestial
sphere. The zero point os the position of the Sun at the vernal equinox.
Measured in hours, minutes, and seconds, and it increases in the
eastward direction
●● declination
Answer: Celestial coordinate used to measure latitude above or below
the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. The celestial equator is at a
declination of 0 degrees, the north celestial pole is at +90 degrees, and
the south celestial pole is at -90 degrees
●● constellation
Answer: A human grouping of stars in the night sky into a recognizable
pattern
●● solar day
Answer: The period of time between the instant when the Sun is directly
overhead to the next time it is directly overhead. 3.9 minutes longer than
the sidereal day
●● sidereal day
Answer: The time needed between successive risings of a given star
●● Reason for the seasons
AND SOLUTIONS GRADED A+ PREMIUM
RESOURCE
●● light year
Answer: The distance that light, moving at a constant speed of 300,000
km/s, travels in 1 year. One light year is about 10 trillion kilometers
●● celestial sphere
Answer: Imaginary sphere surrounding Earth to which all objects in the
sky were once considered to be attached
●● celestial equator
Answer: The projection of Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere
●● celestial pole
Answer: Projection of Earth's North or South pole onto the celestial
sphere
●● ecliptic
Answer: The apparent path of the Sun, relative to the stars on the
celestial sphere, over the course of a year
,●● autumnal equinox
Answer: Date on which the Sun crosses the celestial equator for moving
southward, occurring on or near September 22
●● vernal equinox
Answer: Date on which the Sun crosses the celestial equator moving
northward, occurring on or near March 21
●● summer solstice
Answer: Point on the ecliptic where the Sun is at its northernmost point
above the celestial equator, occurring on or near June 21.
●● winter solstice
Answer: Point on the ecliptic where the Sun is at its southernmost point
below the celestial equator, occurring on or near December 21
●● north celestial pole
Answer: Point on the celestial sphere directly above Earth's North Pole
●● south celestial pole
Answer: Point on the celestial sphere directly above Earth's South Pole
●● Right ascension
, Answer: Celestial coordinate used to measure longitude on the celestial
sphere. The zero point os the position of the Sun at the vernal equinox.
Measured in hours, minutes, and seconds, and it increases in the
eastward direction
●● declination
Answer: Celestial coordinate used to measure latitude above or below
the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. The celestial equator is at a
declination of 0 degrees, the north celestial pole is at +90 degrees, and
the south celestial pole is at -90 degrees
●● constellation
Answer: A human grouping of stars in the night sky into a recognizable
pattern
●● solar day
Answer: The period of time between the instant when the Sun is directly
overhead to the next time it is directly overhead. 3.9 minutes longer than
the sidereal day
●● sidereal day
Answer: The time needed between successive risings of a given star
●● Reason for the seasons
