ASTRONOMY 1010 ACTUAL TEST PAPER
SOLVED QUESTIONS FULL SOLUTION
●● Why do the Sun and Moon look redder when they are closer to the
horizon?
Answer: their light is passing through more air, so all the colors except
for orange and red are scattered away from the direct line of sight to the
Sun (or Moon)
●● When the Sun is high in the sky, what color is the sky?
Answer: black
●● At night we see many stars in the sky, but during the day we only see
the Sun. Why aren't the stars up during the day?
Answer: the stars are up during the day, the Sun's light just overwhelms
them
●● How far would you have to move to see the constellations look
different?
Answer: leave solar system and move to another part of the galaxy
●● We see the Sun, Moon, and stars rise roughly in the East and set
roughly in the West. What causes this?
,Answer: rotation, Earth spins on its axis once a day
●● There is a slow shift in what stars we see at night throughout the
whole year. For example Orion is visible at night in the Winter but not in
the Summer, and Scorpius is visible at night in the Summer but not in
the Winter. What causes this?
Answer: orbiting, Earth goes around the Sun once a year
●● Roughly how much time do we need to wait until we can noticeably
see the stars shifting position around us?
Answer: 100,000 years
●● how do you use the Big Dipper to find the North Star?
Answer: two stars in the dippler's bowl (opposite the handle) point to
Polaris
●● is the North Star the brightest star in the sky?
Answer: no, it is not very bright
●● Why is the Sun shifting from constellation to constellation over a
year?
Answer: the Earth is orbiting the Sun, so the Sun lines up with different
distant stars of the celestial sphere
, ●● If the Sun is in front of a constellation of the zodiac (for example,
Scorpius), it takes about one ______ until it is front of the next zodiac
constellation
Answer: month
●● If the Sun is in front of a constellation of the zodiac (for example,
Scorpius), it takes about one ______ to pass through all the zodiac
constellations and once again be in front of Scorpius
Answer: year
●● If the Sun is in front of pisces at noon, then at sunset (roughly 6
p.m.) ON THE SAME DAY the Sun will be in front of what
constellation?
Answer: pisces
●● twelve are very famous because they are the constellations of the
Zodiac. Why where these twelve constellations so important?
Answer: over a year it looks like the Sun moves in front of these
constellations
●● What causes meteor showers?
Answer: the Earth is plowing through comet debris (leftover bits of
rock), which burn up in our atmosphere
SOLVED QUESTIONS FULL SOLUTION
●● Why do the Sun and Moon look redder when they are closer to the
horizon?
Answer: their light is passing through more air, so all the colors except
for orange and red are scattered away from the direct line of sight to the
Sun (or Moon)
●● When the Sun is high in the sky, what color is the sky?
Answer: black
●● At night we see many stars in the sky, but during the day we only see
the Sun. Why aren't the stars up during the day?
Answer: the stars are up during the day, the Sun's light just overwhelms
them
●● How far would you have to move to see the constellations look
different?
Answer: leave solar system and move to another part of the galaxy
●● We see the Sun, Moon, and stars rise roughly in the East and set
roughly in the West. What causes this?
,Answer: rotation, Earth spins on its axis once a day
●● There is a slow shift in what stars we see at night throughout the
whole year. For example Orion is visible at night in the Winter but not in
the Summer, and Scorpius is visible at night in the Summer but not in
the Winter. What causes this?
Answer: orbiting, Earth goes around the Sun once a year
●● Roughly how much time do we need to wait until we can noticeably
see the stars shifting position around us?
Answer: 100,000 years
●● how do you use the Big Dipper to find the North Star?
Answer: two stars in the dippler's bowl (opposite the handle) point to
Polaris
●● is the North Star the brightest star in the sky?
Answer: no, it is not very bright
●● Why is the Sun shifting from constellation to constellation over a
year?
Answer: the Earth is orbiting the Sun, so the Sun lines up with different
distant stars of the celestial sphere
, ●● If the Sun is in front of a constellation of the zodiac (for example,
Scorpius), it takes about one ______ until it is front of the next zodiac
constellation
Answer: month
●● If the Sun is in front of a constellation of the zodiac (for example,
Scorpius), it takes about one ______ to pass through all the zodiac
constellations and once again be in front of Scorpius
Answer: year
●● If the Sun is in front of pisces at noon, then at sunset (roughly 6
p.m.) ON THE SAME DAY the Sun will be in front of what
constellation?
Answer: pisces
●● twelve are very famous because they are the constellations of the
Zodiac. Why where these twelve constellations so important?
Answer: over a year it looks like the Sun moves in front of these
constellations
●● What causes meteor showers?
Answer: the Earth is plowing through comet debris (leftover bits of
rock), which burn up in our atmosphere
