AST1002 EXAM 2 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
2026 COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
◉ When a thin crescent of the Moon is visible just before sunrise, the
Moon is in its. Answer: waning phase
◉ f the Moon's orbit around Earth were a little larger, solar eclipses
would be. Answer: more likely to be annular
◉ According to "The Zodiac" Figure shown above, in June we would
see the Sun in the direction of the constellation(s).... Answer: Gemini
◉ In the Figure below (Figure 0.20A - Parallax), a smaller Earth
would result in. Answer: a smaller parallax angle.
◉ How, and by roughly how much, would the length of the solar day
change if Earth's rotation were suddenly to reverse direction?.
Answer: A solar day would be approximately 8 minutes shorter than
the current one.
◉ If you watch Polaris all night, what does it do?. Answer: Not much!
It just sits there.
,◉ When is the Earth closest to the Sun?. Answer: In the winter in the
northern hemisphere.
◉ What causes Earth's seasons?. Answer: 23.5° tilt of Earth's
rotational axis
◉ The angle of parallax increases as. Answer: the baseline gets
larger.
◉ Why don't we have solar and lunar eclipses every month?.
Answer: ecause the Moon's orbit around Earth is tilted by about 5°
out of the ecliptic.
◉ he average distance from the Earth to the Sun, 149,600,000 km,
can be written in scientific notation as. Answer: 1.496 × 108 km.
◉ If there are about 6000 stars in the entire sky that can be seen by
the unaided human eye, about how many stars would be seen at a
particular instant on a given dark night from a single location with
an uninterrupted distant horizon?. Answer: 3000
◉ Are the constellations seasonal?. Answer: Yes. On a summer night
many of the constellations you can see are different from the
constellations you can see on a winter night. But there are some
constellations you can see all year long.
, ◉ At what time of the year in the northern hemisphere will your
shadow in sunlight at midday be shortest?. Answer: first day of
summer, about June 21
◉ How long does it take light to travel a distance of one light year?.
Answer: One year or about π×107 seconds.
◉ What is the unit that we use to measure distances in the solar
system?. Answer: The astronomical unit or AU is very convenient.
◉ The most southern location on Earth where the Sun can be seen
directly overhead at noon is called. Answer: the Tropic of Capricorn
◉ How long would a radar signal take to complete a round trip
between Earth to Mars and back to Earth when the two planets are
0.7 AU apart. Answer: about 11.6 minutes
◉ Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn show retrograde motion because.
Answer: Earth moves faster in its orbit.
◉ Epicycles were used in Ptolemy's model to explain. Answer: why
retrograde motion occurred.
2026 COMPLETE STUDY GUIDE
◉ When a thin crescent of the Moon is visible just before sunrise, the
Moon is in its. Answer: waning phase
◉ f the Moon's orbit around Earth were a little larger, solar eclipses
would be. Answer: more likely to be annular
◉ According to "The Zodiac" Figure shown above, in June we would
see the Sun in the direction of the constellation(s).... Answer: Gemini
◉ In the Figure below (Figure 0.20A - Parallax), a smaller Earth
would result in. Answer: a smaller parallax angle.
◉ How, and by roughly how much, would the length of the solar day
change if Earth's rotation were suddenly to reverse direction?.
Answer: A solar day would be approximately 8 minutes shorter than
the current one.
◉ If you watch Polaris all night, what does it do?. Answer: Not much!
It just sits there.
,◉ When is the Earth closest to the Sun?. Answer: In the winter in the
northern hemisphere.
◉ What causes Earth's seasons?. Answer: 23.5° tilt of Earth's
rotational axis
◉ The angle of parallax increases as. Answer: the baseline gets
larger.
◉ Why don't we have solar and lunar eclipses every month?.
Answer: ecause the Moon's orbit around Earth is tilted by about 5°
out of the ecliptic.
◉ he average distance from the Earth to the Sun, 149,600,000 km,
can be written in scientific notation as. Answer: 1.496 × 108 km.
◉ If there are about 6000 stars in the entire sky that can be seen by
the unaided human eye, about how many stars would be seen at a
particular instant on a given dark night from a single location with
an uninterrupted distant horizon?. Answer: 3000
◉ Are the constellations seasonal?. Answer: Yes. On a summer night
many of the constellations you can see are different from the
constellations you can see on a winter night. But there are some
constellations you can see all year long.
, ◉ At what time of the year in the northern hemisphere will your
shadow in sunlight at midday be shortest?. Answer: first day of
summer, about June 21
◉ How long does it take light to travel a distance of one light year?.
Answer: One year or about π×107 seconds.
◉ What is the unit that we use to measure distances in the solar
system?. Answer: The astronomical unit or AU is very convenient.
◉ The most southern location on Earth where the Sun can be seen
directly overhead at noon is called. Answer: the Tropic of Capricorn
◉ How long would a radar signal take to complete a round trip
between Earth to Mars and back to Earth when the two planets are
0.7 AU apart. Answer: about 11.6 minutes
◉ Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn show retrograde motion because.
Answer: Earth moves faster in its orbit.
◉ Epicycles were used in Ptolemy's model to explain. Answer: why
retrograde motion occurred.
