ASTRONOMY 1010 Study Guide
Questions with All Actual Answers
2025-2026 Edition.
Which of the following in NOT part of an acceptable scientific theory?
a. It should be as simple as possible.
b. It must make testable predictions that, if found to be incorrect, could lead to its own
modification or demise.
c. It can only be accepted until it has been proven true beyond all doubt.
d. It should be based on natural processes and should not invoke the supernatural or divine.
e. It must explain a wide variety of phenomena observed in the natural world. - Answer C
The full moon spans an angle of 1/2° in the night sky. That angle is equal to ___________.
a. 60"
b. 60'
c. 30"
d. 30'
,a. Earth, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Sun, Super Cluster, Solar System
b. Sun, Local Group, Earth, Solar System, Local Group, Super Cluster
c. Earth, Sun, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Super Cluster, Solar System
d. Earth, Sun, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Super Cluster
e. Sun, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System, Local Group, Super Cluster - Answer D
Which combinations of the following properties best describe a star?
I - makes own light
II - smaller, less massive
III - massive, large
IV - hot, ionized gas
V - solids/liquids
VI - reflects other's light
a. II, V, VI
b. I, III, IV
c. II, IV, VI
d. III, V, VI
e. I, III, V - Answer b
Which choice best describes what our solar system contains besides the Sun, eight classical
planets, and their moons?
,b. asteroids and comets
c. asteroids, comets, and Plutonion dwarf planets
d. asteroids
e. asteroids, comets, Plutonion Dwarf Planets, and the stars visible in the sky with the unaided
eyes - Answer C
Which choice best describes the structure of matter of the universe at the largest scale?
a. Local Group, Virgo Cluster, up to 100 other galaxy clusters
b. Milky Way Galaxy, Andromeda Galaxy, over 3 dozen smaller galaxies
c. Solar system, hundreds of thousands of stars, their planets, star clusters
d. Sponge-like distribution with connecting filaments of matter and giant voids in between
e. 100 billion stars and planets, interstellar gas & dust, black holes - Answer d
What is the "ecliptic"?
a. The Sun's daily path from east to west in our sky.
b. The line in the sky directly above the Earth's equator.
c. The path that the Sun traces out around the celestial sphere throughout the year
d. A half-circle extending from your horizon due north, through your zenith, to your horizon due
south.
, a. Decreases for the North Pole, increases for the South Pole.
b. Increases for both.
c. Decreases for both.
d. Increases for the North Pole, decreases for the South Pole. - Answer B
Two stars that are in the same constellation __________.
a. appear in the same region in the sky but may be at very different distances from Earth
b. are part of the same star cluster in space, so practically at the same distance from Earth
c. hold each other in fixed positions with their gravitational forces
d. have the same composition
e. have the same age - Answer A
We see different constellations throughout the year when looking at the sky at the same time
each night. This is due to __________.
a. Earth's revolution around the Sun
b. The tilt of the Earths axis
c. Earth's daily rotation
d. The precession of Earth's axis
Questions with All Actual Answers
2025-2026 Edition.
Which of the following in NOT part of an acceptable scientific theory?
a. It should be as simple as possible.
b. It must make testable predictions that, if found to be incorrect, could lead to its own
modification or demise.
c. It can only be accepted until it has been proven true beyond all doubt.
d. It should be based on natural processes and should not invoke the supernatural or divine.
e. It must explain a wide variety of phenomena observed in the natural world. - Answer C
The full moon spans an angle of 1/2° in the night sky. That angle is equal to ___________.
a. 60"
b. 60'
c. 30"
d. 30'
,a. Earth, Local Group, Milky Way Galaxy, Sun, Super Cluster, Solar System
b. Sun, Local Group, Earth, Solar System, Local Group, Super Cluster
c. Earth, Sun, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Super Cluster, Solar System
d. Earth, Sun, Solar System, Milky Way Galaxy, Local Group, Super Cluster
e. Sun, Earth, Milky Way Galaxy, Solar System, Local Group, Super Cluster - Answer D
Which combinations of the following properties best describe a star?
I - makes own light
II - smaller, less massive
III - massive, large
IV - hot, ionized gas
V - solids/liquids
VI - reflects other's light
a. II, V, VI
b. I, III, IV
c. II, IV, VI
d. III, V, VI
e. I, III, V - Answer b
Which choice best describes what our solar system contains besides the Sun, eight classical
planets, and their moons?
,b. asteroids and comets
c. asteroids, comets, and Plutonion dwarf planets
d. asteroids
e. asteroids, comets, Plutonion Dwarf Planets, and the stars visible in the sky with the unaided
eyes - Answer C
Which choice best describes the structure of matter of the universe at the largest scale?
a. Local Group, Virgo Cluster, up to 100 other galaxy clusters
b. Milky Way Galaxy, Andromeda Galaxy, over 3 dozen smaller galaxies
c. Solar system, hundreds of thousands of stars, their planets, star clusters
d. Sponge-like distribution with connecting filaments of matter and giant voids in between
e. 100 billion stars and planets, interstellar gas & dust, black holes - Answer d
What is the "ecliptic"?
a. The Sun's daily path from east to west in our sky.
b. The line in the sky directly above the Earth's equator.
c. The path that the Sun traces out around the celestial sphere throughout the year
d. A half-circle extending from your horizon due north, through your zenith, to your horizon due
south.
, a. Decreases for the North Pole, increases for the South Pole.
b. Increases for both.
c. Decreases for both.
d. Increases for the North Pole, decreases for the South Pole. - Answer B
Two stars that are in the same constellation __________.
a. appear in the same region in the sky but may be at very different distances from Earth
b. are part of the same star cluster in space, so practically at the same distance from Earth
c. hold each other in fixed positions with their gravitational forces
d. have the same composition
e. have the same age - Answer A
We see different constellations throughout the year when looking at the sky at the same time
each night. This is due to __________.
a. Earth's revolution around the Sun
b. The tilt of the Earths axis
c. Earth's daily rotation
d. The precession of Earth's axis
