SCI-103 Introductory Astronomy Exam #1 Fall 2010
Name______Class Meeting Time______
Grade Summary
HW #1______(out of 20 points)
HW #2______(out of 20 points)
Exam #1 ______(58 points total)
Grade So Far ______
Define the following key terms in the space provided. (1points each for a total of 9 points)
1)Astronomical Unit (AU)
2)Right Ascension (RA)
3)Zenith
4)Constellation
5)Circumpolar star
6)Meridian
7)Sidereal Day
8)Write the planets in order of most distant from the Sun to the nearest to the Sun below.
______,______,______,______,______,______,______,______
9)The object pictured to the right orbits the Sun 2.86 AU from the Sun in a nearly circular orbit well within the plane of the solar system. It has its own moon shown in the right of the frame. Yet it is not considered a planet. Why not?
Address the following two questions on the following two pages in a paragraph format. Be as detailed and quantitative as you can. (5points each for a total of 10 points)
10) Our Universe consists of a series of structures beginning with planets and ending with the visible universe. List and briefly describe those structures beginning with the smallest and ending with the largest. When possible give an approximate dimension for each of the structures. You may find the table of astronomical constants at the end of the exam helpful.
11)The concept of the celestial sphere is a very ancient and still used conceptual model of the night sky. Describe the celestial sphere, including its “geography”, relevant time scales, and the position of the Earth.
Solve the following problems showing your work. (4points each for a total of 16 points)
12)Although the Sun contains 99.9 % of the mass of the Solar System, it occupies very little of its volume. Illustrate how small the Sun is compared to the solar system by calculating how many Sun’s could be set side-by-side across the Solar system. Use 80 AU for the diameter of the Solar System, and of course.
13)The nearest star to the Sun is called Proxima Centauri and lays 4.3 ly from the Sun. How many AU is it to Proxima Centauri?
14)The Helios spacecraft, which holds the record for fastest manmade object, was a series of two spacecraft launched in the mid-1970s to study the Sun. Both probes were developed through cooperation between the US and West Germany. Helios 1 was launched in December 1974 and Helios 2 in January 1976, both reaching the Sun within about three months. The maximum speed of Helios 2 is quoted as about 150,000 mph (67,000 m/s). How long would this spacecraft, at this maximum quoted speed, take to travel the 2AU trip to Mars? Express your answer in seconds and years.
15)Imagine that your are observing the stars at an observatory located outside Miami, Florida (latitude = 26N),. You may find the diagram below helpful.
A)At what altitude would Polaris appear above the northern horizon?
B)Would a star with a declination of +63 be circumpolar? Explain.
C)What would be the declination of a star that appeared at your zenith?
D)Would you be able to observe stars as far south as -50declination? Explain.
Answer the following Multiple Choice Questions by circling the correct response. (1or 2 (the last four questions) points each for a total of 23 points)
16)Imagine you are taking a leisurely sail down the inter-coastal waterway from New York to Miami. Each night on your journey of a few weeks, you spend some time observing the stars. Which of the statements below would represent one of your observations?
A)The region of the sky that was circumpolar diminished each night.
B)Polaris was seen higher in the sky on each succeeding night.
C)The northern stars were above the horizon longer each succeeding night.
D)Stars near the celestial equator were above the horizon for about 8 hours.
E)All of the above were observed
Use the drawing below showing the Sun and several constellations to answer the next question.
17)If you could see stars during the day, the drawing above shows what the sky would look like at noon on a given day. Which of the constellations shown would be highest in the sky six hours earlier than the time pictured above?
A)Leo
B)Cancer
C)Gemini
D)Taurus
E)Pisces
18)Imagine that you are visiting OCC’s sister University of Namibia located next to the country of South Africa. You step outside at night to see the stars. Where would you look to see Polaris?
A)North, near the horizon (0 altitude)
B)Near the zenith (90altitude)
C)North, near 43 altitude
D)Northwest, in the direction towards the U.S.A.
E)Polaris cannot be seen from this location.
19)The long exposure image of star trails shown below was taken while looking toward the east. From which of the locations listed below was the image obtained?
A)Fairbanks, Alaska (Latitude 65N)
B)Syracuse, New York (Latitude 43N)
C)Miami, Florida (Latitude 26N)
D)Phitsanulok, Thailand (Latitude 0N)
E)Sydney, Australia (Latitude 34S)
20)From Kiruna, Sweden at a latitude of 67.5 N, the star Betelgeuse with a declination of 7 is
A)Circumpolar
B)Rises and Sets
C)Never Rises
21)Which of the following locations is closest to the celestial equator?
A)RA = 14 hdec = +85
B)RA = 14 hdec = -85
C)RA = 23 hdec = +43
D)RA = 0 hdec = -43
E)RA = 8 hdec = -2
22)Which of the following coordinates in your local horizon system (in Syracuse, NY at 43 N) is closest to the North Celestial pole?
A)Az. = 90, Al. = 90
B)Az. = 35, Al. = 2
C)Az. = 3, Al. = 48
D)Az. = 180, Al. =43
E)Az. = 273, Al. =52
23)The star Capella has a declination of 46. If you are at latitude of 15 N, what is its maximum (meridional) altitude?
A)59
B)39
C)31
D)29
E)21
The pictures and questions below pertain the apparent motion of the stars as seen by an observer in Jacksonville, Florida. A map of the United States below indicates the location of this city.
24)Which of the labeled stars represents
Polaris?
25)Which of the labeled stars is NOT a circumpolar star?
26)In which direction would star A be apparently moving at the instant
pictured.
A)It would not be moving at all.
B)It would be moving straight up.
C)It would be moving straight down.
D)It would be moving to the left.
E)It would be moving to the right.
27)The stars as seen toward the East
would be following paths parallel to
which of the indicated rays.
A)60 ray
B)43 ray
C)30 ray
D)Stars do not parallel any of these
rays.
28)Stars seen looking South appear above the horizon for approximately how long?
A)24 hours
B)Greater 12 hours but not 24 hours
C)About 12 hours
D)Less than 12 hours
29) Looking south the stars would follow which of the paths indicated below?
30)If a particular star passed through the meridian in Jacksonville, how many hours and minutes before that same star crossed the meridian in Santa Barbara, CA (see map at the beginning of the problem)?
A)23h 56min
B)15h 0min
C)3h 20min
D)3hr 0min
E)2h 40min
If you could see both the Sun and the other stars during the day, this is what the sky would look like looking south at noon on January 1 for an observer in the northern hemisphere. The Sun would appear in the sky next to the more distant stars in the constellation Sagittarius, (labeled constellation C). Also shown are other constellations (named and labeled A, B, D, and E) that will be visible above the horizon at this time when facing south.
31)Ranking Instructions: Rank the constellations (A - E) in the order that they would first appear to rise above the horizon on this day.
Ranking Order: First to rise 1 ____ 2 _____ 3 _____ 4 _____ 5 _____ Last to rise
The figure below shows the evening sky as it would appear while looking north at 9PM tonight for an observer in the northern hemisphere. Notice that Polaris, the North Star, appears fairly high in the sky – while other stars (labeled A - D) appear to slowly move counter-clockwise in great circles around the North Star.
32)Ranking Instructions: Rank the stars (A - D) in the order that these stars first appear in the eastern part of the observer’s sky for the day shown.
Ranking Order:
First star to appear in the eastern part of sky 1 ____ 2 _____ 3 _____ 4 _____ Last to appear in the eastern sky.
The figure below shows the evening sky as it would appear while looking north at 9PM tonight for an observer in the northern hemisphere. Notice Polaris, the North Star, appears fairly high in the sky – while other stars (labeled A - D) appear to slowly move counter-clockwise in great circles around the North Star.
33)Ranking Instructions: Rank the stars (A – D) in order of the number of hours (from greatest to least) that each star is above the horizon during each 24 hour day.
Ranking Order:
Greatest number of hours above horizon 1 ____ 2 _____ 3 _____ 4 _____ Least number of hours above horizon.
Astronomy Formula and Constants Sheet for Exams