End of Chapter Questions

Review Questions

Question 1.1

Where is the zenith?

  1. directly overhead

  2. along the celestial equator

  3. on the boundary between land and sky

  4. along the path that the Sun follows throughout the day

  5. at the highest point the Sun passes above the celestial equator at any time during the year

Question 1.2

How many zodiac constellations are there?

  1. 2

  2. 12

  3. 13

  4. 56

  5. 88

Question 1.3

Which of the following lies on the celestial sphere directly over Earth’s equator?

  1. ecliptic

  2. celestial equator

  3. north celestial pole

  4. south celestial pole

  5. horizon

Question 1.4

The length of time it takes Earth to orbit the Sun is:

  1. an hour

  2. a day

  3. a month

  4. a year

  5. a century

Question 1.5

How are constellations useful to astronomers?

Question 1.6

What is the celestial sphere, and why is this ancient concept still useful today?

Question 1.7

What is the celestial equator, and how is it related to Earth’s equator? How are the north and south celestial poles related to Earth’s axis of rotation?

Question 1.8

What is the ecliptic, and why is it tilted with respect to the celestial equator?

Question 1.9

By about how many degrees does the Sun move along the ecliptic each day? Explain why.

Question 1.10

Through how many constellations does the Sun move every day? Explain why.

Question 1.11

Through how many constellations does the Sun move every year? Which ones are they?

Question 1.12

What are the vernal and autumnal equinoxes? What are the summer and winter solstices? How are these four events related to the ecliptic and the celestial equator?

Question 1.13

What is precession, and how does it affect our view of the heavens?

Question 1.14

How does the daily path of the Sun across the sky change with the seasons?

Question 1.15

Why is it warmer in the summer than in the winter?

Question 1.16

Why does the Moon exhibit phases?

Question 1.17

What is the difference between a sidereal month and a synodic month? Which is longer? Why?

Question 1.18

What is a penumbral eclipse of the Moon? Why is it easy to overlook such an eclipse?

Question 1.19

Which type of eclipse—lunar or solar—have more people seen? Why?

Question 1.20

How is an annular eclipse of the Sun different from a total eclipse of the Sun? What causes this difference?

Question 1.21

When is the next leap year?

Question 1.22

At which phase(s) of the Moon does a solar eclipse occur? A lunar eclipse?

Question 1.23

During what phase is the Moon “up” least in the daytime?

Got It?

Question 1.24

Describe the Orion constellation.

Question 1.25

In what season in the southern hemisphere is Earth closest to the Sun? In what season in the northern hemisphere is Earth closest to the Sun? If the changing distance from Earth to the Sun caused the seasons, what should be true about the answers to the first two parts of this question?

Question 1.26

What observational evidence do we have that the Moon does not make its own light?

Question 1.27

What is the difference between the “far” side of the Moon and the “dark” side of the Moon?

Question 1.28

Which of the following statements is correct for someone standing at one of Earth’s poles?

  1. The Sun rises and sets every day.

  2. The Sun is directly overhead on the summer solstice in that hemisphere.

  3. The Sun is in the sky continuously for 6 months.

  4. The Moon is never visible.

  5. The stars rise vertically and set vertically.

Advanced Questions

Question 1.29

During which phase(s) does the Moon rise after sunrise and before sunset? After sunset and before sunrise? At sunset? At sunrise?

Question 1.30

At what places on Earth is Polaris seen on the horizon?

Question 1.31

What is the phase of the Moon if it

  1. rises at 3 a.m.?

  2. sets at 9 p.m.?
    At what time does

  3. the full Moon set?

  4. the first quarter Moon rise?

Question 1.32

Why is a small crescent of light often observed on the Moon when it is exactly in the new phase?

Discussion Questions

Question 1.33

Examine the list of the 88 constellations in Appendix H: The Constellations. Are there any constellations whose names obviously date from modern times? Where are these constellations located? Why do they not have ancient names?

Question 1.34

In his novel King Solomon’s Mines, H. Rider Haggard described a total solar eclipse that was seen in both South Africa and the British Isles. Is such an eclipse possible? Why or why not?