Astronomy 1: Midterm 1 Practice Exam
True/False (+2 pts each)
Indicate whether the sentence or statement is true or false. Mark A on your scantron for true and B for false.
____1.Because the speed of light is infinite, we are able to see objects as they appeared back in the past.
____2.Your mass on the Moon will be the same as your mass on Earth.
____3.Astronomy is an example of a pseudoscience.
Multiple Choice (+2 pts each)
Identify the letter of the choice that best completes the statement or answers the question.
____4.If we did NOT live on the Earth and were on a spacecraft hovering above the Moon, Earth, and Sun system, we would see
a. / that the Moon receives no illumination by the Sun.b. / that the entire Moon would be illuminated by the Sun.
c. / that the Moon goes through a complete cycle of phases.
d. / that only half of the Moon receives illumination from the Sun.
____5.Approximately how long does it take for the Moon to orbit around the Earth?
a. / 1 dayb. / 1 month
c. / 1 week
d. / 1 year
____6.During totality of a lunar eclipse,
a. / The Moon would turn a reddish color.b. / The Sun would turn a reddish color.
c. / the Sun would turn completely dark.
d. / The Sun would have a bright ring around it.
e. / the Moon would turn completely dark.
____7.A lunar eclipse does not occur every month because
a. / the ecliptic plane is tilted 23.5 degrees from the celestial equator.b. / the Moon’s orbit is inclined 5 degrees from the ecliptic plane.
c. / most of the time the moon’s angular size is not the same as the Sun due to its elliptical orbit.
d. / the 23.5 degree tilt of the Earth’s axis of rotation prevents us from directly aligning with the moon.
____8.The plane of the Earth’s orbit projected onto the celestial sphere or the apparent path of the Sun in the sky is called the:
a. / eclipticb. / azimuth
c. / equator
d. / horizon
____9.How far away from us is the nearest star besides our Sun?
a. / 4.2 light years awayb. / 1.3 light seconds away
c. / 5 billion light years away
d. / 120 light years away
e. / 8.3 light minutes away
____10.According to Newton, the gravity of an object depends upon its
a. / weight and mass.b. / mass and distance.
c. / size and distance.
d. / weight and size.
e. / size and mass.
____11.During the Spring equinox at Salinas, how many hours of daylight would we have?
a. / 12 hours.b. / 24 hours.
c. / 9 hours and 40 minutes
d. / 14 hours and 40 minutes.
____12.Which of the following people proposed that the Earth is surrounded by 55 crystal spheres?
a. / Copernicusb. / Aristotle
c. / Kepler
d. / Ptolemy
____13.The location straight above the observer is called the
a. / North poleb. / meridian
c. / right ascension
d. / altitude
e. / zenith
____14.Which of the following do the 12 signs of the zodiac line up with?
a. / azimuthb. / equator
c. / horizon
d. / ecliptic
e. / galactic center
____15.Which of the following is correctly ordered from smallest in size to largest in size?
a. / star, planet, solar system, universe, galaxyb. / planet, star, galaxy, solar system, universe
c. / star, planet, solar system, galaxy, universe
d. / planet, star, solar system, galaxy, universe
____16.The fixed coordinates of an object on a celestial sphere (lines of longitude and latitude) are called
a. / right ascension and declination.b. / altitude and meridian.
c. / altitude and declination.
d. / right ascension and azimuth.
e. / altitude and azimuth.
____17.Who possessed the best observations of the orbits of the planets and had a gold nose?
a. / Aristotleb. / Kepler
c. / Brahe
d. / Ptolemy
e. / Copernicus
____18.The imaginary line that runs through North, South, and the zenith that divides the sky into an Eastern half and a Western half is called
a. / right ascensionb. / the meridian
c. / the celestial equator
d. / the ecliptic
e. / declination
____19.An Astronomical Unit is defined as the:
a. / the average distance from the Earth to the Sun.b. / size of our solar-system.
c. / the distance to Proxima Centauri.
d. / the age of our Universe.
____20.The angular distance of an object from the horizon is called
a. / declinationb. / the azimuth
c. / right ascension
d. / the meridian
e. / the altitude
Completion (+2pts)
Complete each sentence or statement.
21.The ______theory describes the Sun as the center of the Universe.
Short Answer (+2-3pts)
Record the answers to these questions directly on the exam and NOT on the scantron.
22.Describe two of Kepler’s laws of planetary motion. (+2pts)
23.Describe specifically what causes the temperature variations that we experience as the seasons on the Earth. To earn full points, please be as specific as possible. (+3pts)
Short Answer (+4pts)
Record the answers to these questions directly on the exam and NOT on the scantron.
24.Ptolemy’s theory and Copernicus’ theory both explained the retrograde motion of planets. Explain a) what is retrograde motion b) Which theory (Ptolemy’s or Copernicus’) correctly explains why planets exhibit retrograde motion and how did the theory explain it?
Phases of the Moon (+8pts total)
The following is a diagram of the Earth and Moon as it orbits the Earth in 8 different positions (A-H). Assume that the Sun’s rays hit the Moon from the right. a) For each position, label the name of the correct phase (+4pts). b) In the circles provided, draw what the side of the moon facing the Earth would look like as seen from Earth (+4pts). In your drawing, shade (darken) the part of the moon that is dark and leave white the part that is lit.
25.