Earth from Space

Lead Author(s): Linda Khandro, Washington State Colleges

Source: Open Course Library

Student Price: FREE

An astronomy question pack by Linda Khandro.

Earth from Space Q1

The average distance from Earth to the sun is

A

1 ly

B

1 million km

C

1 million miles

D

1 AU

Earth from Space Q2

The sun is

A

a star

B

1 AU from Earth.

C

more than 100 times the diameter of Earth.

D

all of the above

Earth from Space Q3

The diameter of the sun is approximately ______________ times larger than the diameter of Earth.

A

10

B

100

C

1000

D

10,000

Earth from Space Q4

A galaxy contains

A

primarily planets.

B

lots of gas and dust but very few stars.

C

gas, dust, and stars.

D

a single star and planets.

Earth from Space Q5

The Milky Way Galaxy

A

B

is about 200 light-years in diameter.

C

is the largest known object in the universe.

D

all of the above

Earth from Space Q6

2.9×10$^7$ is the same as

A

2.9 thousand

B

29 thousand

C

290 thousand

D

29 million

Earth from Space Q7

1.65 billion is the same as

A

1.65×10$^{12}$

B

1.65×10$^9$

C

1.65×10$^6$

D

1.65×10$^5$

Earth from Space Q8

In March 2012, a supernova (exploding star) was seen in a galaxy located 38 million light years away. How long ago did the supernova explode?

A

3800 years ago

B

38,000 years ago

C

38 million years ago

D

38 billion years ago

Earth from Space Q9

If the distance to the nearest star is 4.2 light-years, then

A

the star is 4.2 million AU away.

B

the light we see left the star 4.2 years ago.

C

the star must have formed 4.2 billion years ago.

D

the star must be very young.

Earth from Space Q10

The Milky Way Galaxy is

A

a spiral galaxy.

B

part of a cluster of galaxies that contains a few dozen galaxies.

C

about 75,000 light years in diameter.

D

all of the above.

Earth from Space Q11

Seen from the northern latitudes, the star Polaris

A

is never above the horizon during the day.

B

always sets directly in the west.

C

is always above the northern horizon.

D

is never visible during the winter.

Earth from Space Q12

The celestial equator is

A

a line around the sky directly above Earth's equator.

B

the dividing line between the north and south celestial hemispheres.

C

the path that the sun appears to follow on the celestial sphere as Earth orbits the sun.

D

a and b.

Earth from Space Q13

The ______________ is the point on the celestial sphere directly above any observer.

A

north celestial pole

B

south celestial pole

C

zenith

D

celestial equator

Earth from Space Q14

The apparent visual magnitude of a star is 7.3. This tells us that the star is

A

one of the brighter stars in the sky.

B

bright enough that it would be visible even during the day.

C

not visible with the unaided eye.

D

very far from Earth.

Earth from Space Q15

Which of the following stars appears brightest in the sky to us?

A

Sirius at apparent magnitude -1.4

B

Deneb at apparent magnitude 1.25

C

Betelgeuse at apparent magnitude 0.42

D

Antares at apparent magnitude 0.96

Earth from Space Q16
A(n) \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ is one-3,600th of a degree.
A

precession

B

second of arc

C

minute of arc

D

Earth from Space Q17

Precession of the rotation axis of Earth is caused by

A

the force of gravity from the sun and moon on Earth's equatorial bulge.

B

the force of gravity from the sun and Jupiter on the Earth-moon system.

C

the magnetic field of Earth.

D

the formation and subsequent melting of glaciers during the ice-ages.

Earth from Space Q18

An observer in the Northern Hemisphere watches the sky for several hours. Due to the motion of Earth, this observer notices that the stars closest to the north celestial pole appear to move

A

counter clockwise around the celestial pole.

B

clockwise around the celestial pole.

C

from left to right.

D

from north to south.

Earth from Space Q19

You live at a latitude of 28° N. What is the angle between the northern horizon and the north celestial pole?

A

62°

B

28°

C

40°

D

23½°

Earth from Space Q20

If the north celestial pole appears on your horizon, what is your latitude?

A

90° N

B

90° S

C

D

45° N

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