Select the correct ranking of distance from near to far (from you on Earth): Andromeda galaxy, Moon, Star (not sun), Pluto, Sun
A. Moon, Sun, Pluto, Star (not Sun), Andromeda galaxy.
Using the Earth globe, how far apart must the moon globe be placed to make an accurate earth-moon scale model?
C. 30 globes
Rank from size smallest to largest: Earth, Sun, Moon, Jupiter
A. Moon, Earth, Jupiter, Sun
Traveling at light speed, howlong would it take you to fly to the center of the Milky Way?
D. 25,000 years
NASA plans to launch a spacecraft soon that will leave the Milky Way Galaxy to take a photograph of our galaxy from the outside (above) to confirm where we live.
A. True
B. False
B. False
Relative to the age of the Universe, Earth is how old?
C. 1/3 as old as the Universe
The earth is ~4 billion years old. The Universe is ~13.7 billion years old.
We all experience two of Earth’s motions regularly. The Earth spins on its axis __________ and orbits the Sun_________ .
C. once a day, once a year
If you are facing the North Star, which direction is directly (90 degrees) to your right?
A. east
From anywhere on Earth, your local sky allows you a view of no more than half of outer space around Earth.What is blocking your view from the other half?
C. the horizon
From your current location (KCMO) you observe Star A rising directly in the east. When this star reaches its highest position above the horizon, where will it be?
C. high in the southern sky
Stars that never appear to set are called circumpolar. As you travel from the Earth’s equator toward the North Pole, the number of stars that are circumpolar
C. increases
You are in K.C. looking directly north. You see a star just above the (N) horizon. 15 minutes later this star has changed its position slightly. Which way did it move?
C. to the right (east)
In what sense does the Big Dipper move thru the sky relative to Polaris?
B. counterclockwise
How long will it take for the Big Dipper to move to directly east of Polaris? (If it is directly West of Polaris)
C. 12 hours
If you are standing on the North Pole, where would you look to see the North Star?
A. toward the zenith
How long does it take to complete the full cycle of Moon phases?
C. about a month
During the first quarter phase, how much of the Moon’s entire surface is illuminated by sunlight?
D. half
If you were on the Moon, the Earth would
A. show phases opposite to the Moon
The phase of the Moon during a total lunar eclipse:
A. is full.
On what part of the Earth do you have to be to see a lunar eclipse?
B. the night side
The phase of the Moon during a total solar eclipse:
C. is new.
Think about the size of the Earth and the Moon shadows. A total solar eclipse is visible for
A. much less time than a total lunar eclipse.
Which phase of the Moon rises at 9:00 am?
C. waxing crescent
If it is waxing crescent now, what phase will the Moon be two weeks after this?
B. waning gibbous
What is the main reason that we do not have an eclipse every new and full Moon phase?
C. The Moon’s orbit is tilted from the ecliptic plane.
At what time would you look to see a first-quarter Moon at its highest position in the sky?
6 p.m. or Sunset.
If the Sun set below your western horizon about 2 hours ago, and the Moon is barely visible on the eastern horizon, what phase would the Moon be at this time?
Waning Gibbous
(stick figure is at 8 p.m. E is pointing at the Waning Gibbous)
A thin sliver of Moon visible just before sunrise. Which phase of the Moon would this be, and in what direction would you look to see this sight?
Waning Crescent
(stick figure is at 5 a.m., the moon is to the east because it is about to set.)
Which phase of the Moon is highest over head at 6:00am?
B. Third Quarter
If the Moon is highest in the sky today at 6:00am, what phase will the Moon be one week from now?
A. New
Which phase of the Moon rises in the east about the same time that the Sun rises in the east?
E. New
You (in KC) observe the planet Jupiter just above the east horizon at sunset. Six hours later Jupiter will be
E. high in the south
A planet is moving in retrograde motion. If you watch it for several nights in a row, how will the planet appear to move relative to a background constellation?
D. east to west
A planet is moving in retrograde (backward) motion. During this period of many days it will...
B. rise in the east
A planet is moving in retrograde motion. Over the short time span of one night, how will the planet appear to move across the sky?
C. rise in east, go high in south, set in west
(This is over one night, not weeks)
Why do the stars, planets, Sun & Moon rise and set?
Earth rotating on its axis.
Why do we see phases of the Moon?
Phases are dependent on where the moon is relative to the sun.
What causes eclipses of the Sun & the Moon?
When the Sun, Moon and Earth are completely aligned on the plane.
Which Moon phase can be seen high in sky an hour after sunrise?
A. third quarter
Retrograde motion is caused by...
D. the different orbital speeds of planets around the Sun