Astronomy 101 - Exam questions and Verified
Answers
Constellations - ANSWER Recognizable patterns of stars in the sky (big dipper, orions belt)
Makes locating stars easier.
The official borders were set in 1928 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
How many constellations are there? - ANSWER 88
Celestial sphere - ANSWER our view of the night sky; an artificial sky map created by
astronomers that applied a coordinate system to it, analogous to the coordinate system of
north-south latitude and east-west longitude used to navigate on the Earth. This Earth-based
view of the heavens is made by pretending that the stars are attached to the inside of an
enormous hollow shell, the celestial sphere, with the Earth at its center.
Celestial equator - ANSWER we obtain the celestial equator, which divides the sky into northern
and southern hemispheres, just as the Earth's equator divides the Earth into two hemispheres.
Ecliptic - ANSWER sun's path
North/south celestial pole - ANSWER We can also imagine projecting the Earth's North Pole and
South Pole out into space along the Earth's axis of rotation.
Sidereal day - ANSWER Star reference
23 hours and 56 minutes
Solar day - ANSWER Sun reference
24 hours
, Difference between solar and sidereal day? - ANSWER Your favorite star will rise 4 minutes
earlier each successive night.
How long does it take the Earth to rotate (in hours)? - ANSWER 24 hours
How long does it take the Earth to revolve (in decimal days)? - ANSWER 365.25 days
How long does it take the Earth to precess (in years)? - ANSWER 26,000 years.
What causes seasons? - ANSWER Earths rotation on its axis which is 23.5 degrees
Equinox - ANSWER where the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator
Solsitice - ANSWER where the ecliptic is farthest from the celestial equator
Summer Solstice - ANSWER June 21st
Winter Solstice - ANSWER December 21st
Fall Equinox - ANSWER September 21st
Spring Equinox - ANSWER March 21st
Longest day of the year - ANSWER June 21st (beginning of summer)
Shortest day of the year - ANSWER December 21st (beginning of winter)
Answers
Constellations - ANSWER Recognizable patterns of stars in the sky (big dipper, orions belt)
Makes locating stars easier.
The official borders were set in 1928 by the International Astronomical Union (IAU).
How many constellations are there? - ANSWER 88
Celestial sphere - ANSWER our view of the night sky; an artificial sky map created by
astronomers that applied a coordinate system to it, analogous to the coordinate system of
north-south latitude and east-west longitude used to navigate on the Earth. This Earth-based
view of the heavens is made by pretending that the stars are attached to the inside of an
enormous hollow shell, the celestial sphere, with the Earth at its center.
Celestial equator - ANSWER we obtain the celestial equator, which divides the sky into northern
and southern hemispheres, just as the Earth's equator divides the Earth into two hemispheres.
Ecliptic - ANSWER sun's path
North/south celestial pole - ANSWER We can also imagine projecting the Earth's North Pole and
South Pole out into space along the Earth's axis of rotation.
Sidereal day - ANSWER Star reference
23 hours and 56 minutes
Solar day - ANSWER Sun reference
24 hours
, Difference between solar and sidereal day? - ANSWER Your favorite star will rise 4 minutes
earlier each successive night.
How long does it take the Earth to rotate (in hours)? - ANSWER 24 hours
How long does it take the Earth to revolve (in decimal days)? - ANSWER 365.25 days
How long does it take the Earth to precess (in years)? - ANSWER 26,000 years.
What causes seasons? - ANSWER Earths rotation on its axis which is 23.5 degrees
Equinox - ANSWER where the ecliptic intersects the celestial equator
Solsitice - ANSWER where the ecliptic is farthest from the celestial equator
Summer Solstice - ANSWER June 21st
Winter Solstice - ANSWER December 21st
Fall Equinox - ANSWER September 21st
Spring Equinox - ANSWER March 21st
Longest day of the year - ANSWER June 21st (beginning of summer)
Shortest day of the year - ANSWER December 21st (beginning of winter)
