question

Where is the Sun on September 23?

answer

12 hours RA, 0 degrees declination

question

Right Ascension

answer

The origin is at the vernal equinox, each hour equals 15° in the sky, and is measured eastward in units of time

question

Facts about the Day

answer

Solar day is measured from the Sun's noon transit until the next one, the earth rotates in 23hrs and 56min, and normal timekeeping is based on the solar day

question

Where would you be on the Earth if the noon Sun passed through your zenith on June 21st

answer

Tropic of Cancer

question

Where would you be if Polaris was directly at your zenith

answer

North Pole

question

Which of these gases was not out gas in forming our secondary atmosphere

answer

Oxygen

question

Where on Earth Can You observe all the stars in the whole sky over the entire year

answer

Equator

question

What phenomena accounts for the 26,000 year wobble which gift poles and equinoxes

answer

Precession

question

What celestial line is created by the Earth's rotation

answer

Equator

question

What celestial line is created by the Earth's revolution around the Sun

answer

Ecliptic

question

What conditions are necessary for an annular solar eclipse

answer

New moon on ecliptic near apogee

question

What conditions are necessary for a total solar eclipse

answer

New Moon near perigee and on the ecliptic

question

What conditions are necessary for a partial solar eclipse

answer

New moon eclipse it with us and it's penumbral shadow

question

Why is there a two-day difference in the sidereal and synodic months

answer

The Earth has also revolved around the Sun but the moon must catch up

question

A solar eclipse can only happen during a ____ moon

answer

New

question

A lunar eclipse can only happen during a _____ moon

answer

Full

question

Facts about the length of a day

answer

At the Equator, the days and nights are about 12 hours, year-round; at the North Pole there are six months of continuous daylight; for the northern hemisphere, the longest day will be the summer solstice in June

question

What describes parallax

answer

It is inversely proportional to the object's distance

question

If the moon rose tonight about 6 p.m. then, when will it rise tomorrow

answer

7pm

question

What are right Ascension and declination

answer

Analogs of latitude and longitude on the Earth's surface and a means of specifying Stars locations on a celestial sphere

question

What is the range of values that the coordinate declination can have

answer

-90 to +90 degrees

question

How many stars are visible on a clear dark night with the naked eye alone

answer

A few thousand

question

Scientists today do not believe the Ptolemaic model because

answer

It has been proven to be incorrect

question

Which assumption or statement is part of both Ptolemaic and copernican hypothesis

answer

The moon orbits the earth in a month

question

What was one of the contributions made by Copernicus to astronomy

answer

He said that the Earth is not the center of the universe

question

Name one of the many contributions made by Galileo to astronomy

answer

Use a telescope to observe sunspots and the rotation of the Sun

question

Which of these Concepts was not part of Ptolemy's model

answer

Planets move in ellipses

question

A few Concepts part of Kepler's Law

answer

The sun lies at the focus of every planet elliptical orbit, planetary orbits are ellipses, the square of period in years = cube of average distance in astronomical units

question

The force of gravity between two objects

answer

Increases with the mass of the objects and decreases with the distance between them

question

Geosynchronous satellites orbit about four Earth radii above the equator. There the Earth's gravitational force is how many g's

answer

1/16 g

question

What was observed telescopically by Galileo

answer

Venus has phases, the four largest moons orbiting Jupiter, sunspots, and the Sun's rotation

question

Name one of Newton's contributions to astronomy

answer

He developed a theory of gravity that could explain orbital motion

question

On what did Copernicus and Ptolemy agree?

answer

All orbits are circular

question

The Ptolemaic model of the universe:

answer

Explained and predicted the Motions of the planets with deferents and epicycles

question

A Saturn lies at about 10 AU from the Sun, out there the Sun's gravity would be

answer

100 times weaker

question

Name some parts of the copernican theory

answer

The Earth rotates on its axis once a day, the sun lies at the center of the solar system, Mercury moves faster in its orbit than any other planet does

question

What contribution to astronomy was made by Tycho brahe

answer

He made extensive and detailed observations of the positions of the planets

question

Upon which point did Kepler and Copernicus disagree

answer

All the planetary orbits must be circular

question

By combining Newton's and Kepler's laws we can weigh the sun provided we know

answer

The size of the Au in the exact length of the year

question

Stefan's law says

answer

The energy radiated by a black body is proportional to T⁴

question

What temperature of Kelvin is water a liquid

answer

300 K

question

The frequency at which the intensity of a star's light Peaks depends on the ___ of a star

answer

Temperature

question

The fact that doubling the star's surface temperature will halve it's peak wavelength is

answer

Wein's Law

question

What does Wiens law reveal

answer

The hotter the object the Bluer its radiation

question

According to Wiens law if the sun's surface temperature of 5800 Kelvin were doubled

answer

The peak of its energy would now fall in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum

question

Which is constant for all types of electromagnetic waves in space

answer

Speed

question

High-energy astronomers study

answer

X-rays and gamma rays

question

Which visible light has the highest energy

answer

Violet

question

Light waves differ fundamentally from either water waves or sound ways because

answer

They do not require a material medium

question

At what temperature does water freeze in Kelvin

answer

273 Kelvin

question

If an object is moving towards you what effect Do You observe in the spectrum of that object

answer

It appears blue-shifted

question

Almost all of the Earth's atmospheric gases lie in the

answer

Troposphere

question

You go to a physician who is really into physics if your body temperature is normal his Kelvin thermometer should read

answer

310 k

question

Two forms of electromagnetic radiation that penetrate Earth's atmosphere are

answer

Visible light and radio waves

question

Which of these is not a product of plate tectonics

answer

The Grand Canyon

question

Space Travelers looking out from the front of their spacecraft would note that the light emitted from the star system for which they were moving seemed to be

answer

Getting Bluer

question

Which of the following creates the greatest Tidal impact on the Earth

answer

The Moon

question

What is spectroscopy

answer

An analysis of the way in which atoms absorb and emit light

question

At what phase would you expect to find extremely high and low tides

answer

New moon and full moon

question

In the atom what type of particle determines the element that atom represents

answer

Protons

question

At what phase would you experience the least Tidal variation

answer

First quarter moon

question

Spectral lines are sometimes referred to as the fingerprints because

answer

Both can we categorize, fingerprints also consists of individual lines that combine to make a pattern, and both are unique and characteristic of that's which has produced them

question

The region in which charged particles are trapped by our magnetic fields are the

answer

Van Allen belts

question

The principal greenhouse gases in our present atmosphere

answer

Carbon dioxide and water vapor

question

Line broadening is caused by

answer

Rotation, atoms in thermal motion, and magnetism

question

The part of the atom responsible for the chemical reactions is the

answer

Electron

question

Compared to the density of water, and one gram/cc, the earth's density on average is about

answer

5.5 times denser

question

A hydrogen atom consists of

answer

One electron orbiting a proton

question

When strong solar wind storms are directed at poleward by our magnetic field lines, we get:

answer

Auroal displays

question

What is emitted from an atom when one of its electrons makes a transition from a higher energy state to a lower energy state

answer

Photon

question

Which body has the greater gravitational pull on the entire earth

answer

Sun

question

What discovery resulted from the photoelectric effect

answer

The particle nature of light

question

The lunar mare are found:

answer

Predominantly on the Earths side

question

This particle which adds Mass but no charge to the atomic nucleus is the

answer

Neutron

question

The Moon's atmosphere is composed of

answer

nothing! It has no atmosphere

question

If you view a hot star through a cool cloud of gas what sort of spectrum are you likely to see

answer

Absorption

question

Would the moon be a good place to do astronomy

answer

Yes because the moon lacks an atmosphere

question

Which of these is the classic continuous Spectrum

answer

Rainbow

question

What do moonquakes reveal about the lunar interior

answer

They show that the moon might have small, partially molten core

question

An incandescent light bulb glowing (hot tungsten filament) produces which Spectrum

answer

Continuous

question

What theory of the moon's origin is favored by most astronomers today

answer

The moon originated as material torn from Earth by the Collision of a large mars-sized body

question

A neon lights (thin hot Neon gas in a vacuum) tube produces which type of spectrum

answer

Emission

question

What is the age of the lunar maria compared to the four billion year age of the Highlands

answer

3.2 - 3.9 billion years

question

What force on the moon causes it to keep a single hemisphere toward Earth

answer

Tidal Force

question

The Orion nebula is a hot thin cloud of glowing gas. Which best describes the Spectrum

answer

A few bright lines on a dark background

question

Typical Stellar Spectra appear as

answer

A rainbow with dark lines mixed in

question

The rate of cratering on the lunar Highlands helps to show that

answer

They are older than the Maria

question

Why are most telescopes reflectors and not refractors

answer

Large lenses deform under their own weight while large mirrors can be supported

question

One of the following factors, along with temperature, determines whether a body will retain an atmosphere of a given composition

answer

Escape velocity

question

Based on the presence of lunar mare chiefly on the side facing us, we conclude

answer

The crest on our side must be thinner than The Far Side

question

What type of telescope uses a lens to collect light subject to comatic aberration

answer

Refractor

question

What type of telescope combined flights from two different telescopes to really enhance resolution

answer

Interferometer

question

What are factors in determining whether a body in the solar system retains an atmosphere

answer

Escape velocity, composition of the gases, and distance from the Sun

question

Which telescopes convex secondary bounces the light down-hole to focus behind Hole In The Mirror

answer

Cassegrain reflector

question

Astronomers believe that the moon never entirely melted because

answer

Being less massive than the earth, the moon does not contain enough radioactive elements to heat it to the melting points

question

The average rate of erosion on the moon is far less than that on Earth because

answer

The moon lacks wind and running water

question

Which telescope has a flat secondary mirror tilted 45 degrees and focuses the image to the front side of the tube

answer

Newtonian reflector

question

The telescope as a 60 millimeter diameter achromatic objective with a 200 millimeter Focal length. how much better resolution does this lens the yield then your eyes 6 millimeter exit pupil

answer

10x

question

3 facts about density

answer

The denser planets fall closer to the Sun, density is mass divided by the volume of the body, and indifferentiated bodies, the denser materials lie at their core

question

What is the goal of comparative planetology

answer

to determine the origin and evolution of the solar system

question

A telescope is a 60 millimeter diameter a chromatic aberration with a 200 millimeter focal length. compared to your eyes 6 millimeter exit pupil how much fainter Stars (better light grasp) does it show than your eye alone

answer

100x

question

Name three advantages of the Hubble Space Telescope over ground-based telescope

answer

It is diffraction limited, it is not affected by atmospheric seeing, and it can observe at wavelengths outside of the visible

question

Our understanding of the solar system has come in a way that can best described as

answer

We have learned more in the past few decades then during all of previous history

question

What is the primary advantage of the Hubble Space Telescope over ground-based telescopes

answer

It is above the atmosphere

question

Name the Jovian Planets

answer

Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune

question

What problem is Adaptive Optics used to correct

answer

Effects of atmospheric turbulence

question

A gravitational slingshot

answer

Changes the speed and direction of planetary spacecraft as they passed near a planet or Moon

question

Name the terrestrial planets

answer

Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars

question

Diffraction is the tendency of light to

answer

Spread around corners

question

Name three differences of the Jovian and terrestrial planets

answer

The orbits of terrestrial worlds are relatively close together, while the orbits of planets are far apart; the terrestrial worlds have few or no moons, while the Jovian worlds have many moons; and the terrestrial worlds are small and dense, while the Jovian worlds are large and gaseous

question

It is diffraction that limits the _____ of a telescope given its objective aperture

answer

Resolution

question

Name an advantage of large telescopes over smaller ones

answer

Large telescopes collect more light then small ones and they bring the light to a sharper Focus

question

Which of the following has an icy composition

answer

Comet

question

What is the resolving power of a telescope

answer

Its ability to distinguish two adjacent objects in the sky

question

Where are the asteroids generally found in the solar system

answer

Between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter

question

Contrast the resolving power of a Celestron C-8 with its finder, given the main scope has an aperture 8 times larger than its finding lens

answer

8x better detail

question

The esa probe which came the closest to comment Hailey Nicholas in 1986 was

answer

Near Shoemaker

question

Contrast the light grasp of a Celestron C-8 with its finder, given the main scope has an aperture eight times larger than its finder

answer

64x fainter stars

question

On its way to Jupiter Galileo also gave us close ups of

answer

Gaspra and Ida

question

What is the primary advantage of ccds over photographic plates

answer

The record up to 75% of the light instead of only 5%

question

Before it arrived in orbit about Eros, the near spacecraft also flew past

answer

Mathilde

question

What is the primary purpose of an astronomical telescope

answer

To collect a large amount of light and bring it to a focus

question

Large meteoroids are thought to collide with Earth

answer

A few times in every million year period

question

Iron meteorites are believed to come from

answer

The core of a differentiated asteroid, now broken

question

Name a problem inherent to all large radio telescopes

answer

They have poor angular resolution

question

Meteor shower debris is believed to come from

answer

A broken up Cometary nucleus

question

A mountain top is a good location for optical and infrared telescopes because this site

answer

Is above much of the atmosphere

question

The amount of diffraction depends on what factor

answer

The wavelength used in the telescope size

question

What part of a comet has only been seen by spaceProbe

answer

The nucleus

question

For what is an inferometer used

answer

To improve the angular resolution of radio telescopes

question

Compare to Ida, Gaspra, and Eros what was odd about the density of mathilde

answer

It was less dense than Rock, but more than ice, suggesting a porous structure

question

Comets are made of

answer

Silica, nothing, ammonia, water ice, and metallic dust particles

question

This type of telescope has its focus behind the back of the hole in the main mirror

answer

Cassegrain

question

The Kuiper belt objects have orbits that

answer

Stay out beyond Neptune

question

Refracting telescopes suffer from this type of defect. Light of different wavelengths focus at different positions and focal points

answer

Chromatic aberration

question

What is seeing

answer

It is a measure of the image quality due to the stability of the air

question

The Trojan asteroids have orbits that

answer

Say 60 degrees ahead of or behind Jupiter

question

The Apollo and aten asteroids have orbits that

answer

Cross the orbit of Earth at perihelion

question

Why are ccds or charge-coupled devices so useful to astronomical research

answer

Ccds detect light more efficiently than photographic plates, images made by ccds are easily read and manipulated by computer programs, and ccds provide a precise measurement of changing light intensity across a given area

question

Radio dishes must be large in order to

answer

Detect the small amount of radio energy reading Earth

question

Long period Comets are thought to reside mainly in

answer

The Oort cloud

question

Which of the following objects would be found on the moon surface

answer

Meteorites

question

What is the name of the effect when an electromagnetic wave is bent as it passes from one material into another

answer

Refraction

question

State three correct facts about planet orbits

answer

Most rotate counter-clockwise, most orbits are close to Circular with low eccentricity , all planets orbit the sun counterclockwise

question

The Oort cloud is thought to be

answer

A cloud of comets surrounding the solar system

question

Name three facts about all Jovian Planets

answer

They all have at least 8 moons, they all lie at least five times farther from the Sun than the Earth days, and they all have rings around the equator

question

The orbits of most asteroids

answer

lie entirely beyond the orbit ofMars

question

Which of the following gives direct information about the age of the solar system

answer

Meteorites

question

Name types of interplanetary debris

answer

Large and small Kama asteroids, comet , and Grains of dust

question

Which of the following can collide with Earth

answer

Aten asteroids, Apollo asteroids, and comets

question

What causes a meteor shower?

answer

Earth crosses the orbit of a comment, and this orbit is littered with debris

question

What is the equation of density

answer

Mass divided by volume

question

Meteorites are valuable to astronomers because

answer

They may provide evidence about the process in which the solar system was born

question

What are gaspra, mathilde, Eros, and Ida

answer

Asteroids

question

The nucleus or main solid body of a comet has a typical size of

answer

A few kilometres

question

The defining property of the Trojan asteroids is

answer

They have orbits at the distance of Jupiter and 60 degrees ahead of or behind it

question

Without a greenhouse effect operating in our atmosphere

answer

Earth would have an average surface temperature of about -23 degrees Celsius

question

What is the best description for the history of the Earth's rotation

answer

It is very gradually slowing down at about .0015 seconds per century

question

What is the main ingredient in the Earth's atmosphere

answer

Nitrogen

question

The oldest rocks on Earth are dated to be

answer

Nearly four billion years old

question

In what part of the atmosphere does life occur

answer

The troposphere

question

Name two places on Earth where convection is operating on a large scale, creating natural phenomena that are important features for all life on Earth

answer

In the atmosphere and the mantle

question

When two tectonic plates collide

answer

They do not stop moving, but produce large deformations of various types

question

In noting that the Earth is differentiated we mean that

answer

The density increases as you descend downwards towards the core

question

The presence of a magnetic field is a good indication that

answer

A quantity of liquid metal is swirling around in the Earth's core

question

If a quarter of the original uranium-235 atoms have not yet decayed into the LED 207, and uranium-235 has a half-life about 700 million years, we conclude that ingenious rock is about ____ years old

answer

1.4 billion

question

The Earth is about _____ covered in water

answer

70%

question

Ocean formation of the earth to remove much of the ____ from our atmosphere

answer

Carbon dioxide

question

Which atmospheric component is chiefly a product of life process

answer

Oxygen

question

Seismic waves are most useful for mapping

answer

The Earth's mantle and core

question

Three statements that are about our core

answer

It is almost as hot as the sun's photosphere comma the outer portion is liquid, the very center is solid, and it must be rich in nickel and iron

question

Three statements about seismic waves

answer

Both can be detected by seismograph , in the shadow zones neither type arrives, P travel faster and arrive sooner at distance sites

question

What does Earth have that's unique to the terrestrial planets

answer

Hydrosphere

question

Which two gases are primarily present in our atmosphere

answer

Oxygen and nitrogen

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