ASTRO 101 EXAM 5 QUESTIONS WITH
DETAILED VERIFIED ANSWERS
How long does it take the Earth to orbit the Sun?
a) one sidereal day
b) one month
c) one year *
d) one hour
What is the name given to the path of the Sun as seen from Earth?
a.) Equinox
b.) Celestial equator
c.) Solstice
d.) Ecliptic *
The ecliptic is best described as a(n):
a) hollow sphere
b) solid sphere
c) plane *
d) square
How many months apart are Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox?
a) 1 month
b) 3 months *
c) 4 months
d) 6 months
Over what place on Earth is the Sun on the Autumnal equinox?
a) the North Pole
b) London
c) the South Pole
d) the equator *
,True or False: Constellations look the same from everywhere in the galaxy.
a) True
b) False *
When you are facing Polaris you are...
a.) ...looking at the brightest star in the sky.
b.) ...facing directly north. *
c.) ...looking at the "Big Dipper".
d.) ...facing directly south.
Astronomers use the word constellation to describe...
a.) ...only the pattern of stars that we see on the sky.
b.) ...an entire region of the sky and all objects in that region. *
c.) ...a clustering of stars, meaning that all stars that belong to the constellation are physically
close to each other in space.
d.) ...collectively, all of the bright stars on the sky.
What type of motion leads to the Sun rising and setting?
a.) Earth's rotation *
b.) Earth's revolution
c.) The Sun's revolution
d.) The Sun's rotation
What type of motion leads to stars rising approximately 4 minutes earlier each day than it
did the day before?
a.) Earth's rotation
b.) Earth's revolution *
c.) The Sun's revolution
d.) The Sun's rotation
True or False: Every star in the night sky, regardless of your location, will rise and set.
, a) True
b) False *
How long is an average solar day?
a.) 24 hours *
b.) 23 hours, 56 minutes
c.) 12 hours
d.) 24 hours, 4 minutes
How long is a sidereal day?
a.) 24 hours
b.) 23 hours, 56 minutes *
c.) 12 hours
d.) 24 hours, 4 minutes
What is the term that describes the changes in the direction in which the Earth's axis of
rotation points?
a.) Precession *
b.) Perpendicular
c.) Equatorial bulge
d.) Gravitation
True or False: Polaris will not always be the pole star.
a) True *
b) False
How many constellations are there?
a) 12
b) 13
c) 88 *
d) 110
Where is the ecliptic as seen from the Earth?
DETAILED VERIFIED ANSWERS
How long does it take the Earth to orbit the Sun?
a) one sidereal day
b) one month
c) one year *
d) one hour
What is the name given to the path of the Sun as seen from Earth?
a.) Equinox
b.) Celestial equator
c.) Solstice
d.) Ecliptic *
The ecliptic is best described as a(n):
a) hollow sphere
b) solid sphere
c) plane *
d) square
How many months apart are Winter Solstice and the Vernal Equinox?
a) 1 month
b) 3 months *
c) 4 months
d) 6 months
Over what place on Earth is the Sun on the Autumnal equinox?
a) the North Pole
b) London
c) the South Pole
d) the equator *
,True or False: Constellations look the same from everywhere in the galaxy.
a) True
b) False *
When you are facing Polaris you are...
a.) ...looking at the brightest star in the sky.
b.) ...facing directly north. *
c.) ...looking at the "Big Dipper".
d.) ...facing directly south.
Astronomers use the word constellation to describe...
a.) ...only the pattern of stars that we see on the sky.
b.) ...an entire region of the sky and all objects in that region. *
c.) ...a clustering of stars, meaning that all stars that belong to the constellation are physically
close to each other in space.
d.) ...collectively, all of the bright stars on the sky.
What type of motion leads to the Sun rising and setting?
a.) Earth's rotation *
b.) Earth's revolution
c.) The Sun's revolution
d.) The Sun's rotation
What type of motion leads to stars rising approximately 4 minutes earlier each day than it
did the day before?
a.) Earth's rotation
b.) Earth's revolution *
c.) The Sun's revolution
d.) The Sun's rotation
True or False: Every star in the night sky, regardless of your location, will rise and set.
, a) True
b) False *
How long is an average solar day?
a.) 24 hours *
b.) 23 hours, 56 minutes
c.) 12 hours
d.) 24 hours, 4 minutes
How long is a sidereal day?
a.) 24 hours
b.) 23 hours, 56 minutes *
c.) 12 hours
d.) 24 hours, 4 minutes
What is the term that describes the changes in the direction in which the Earth's axis of
rotation points?
a.) Precession *
b.) Perpendicular
c.) Equatorial bulge
d.) Gravitation
True or False: Polaris will not always be the pole star.
a) True *
b) False
How many constellations are there?
a) 12
b) 13
c) 88 *
d) 110
Where is the ecliptic as seen from the Earth?
