Mid Semester Practice Examination
PH223
Astronomy B
Who of the following early astronomers,
a) Aristarchus, d) Eudoxus,
b) Aristotle, e) Eratosthenes,
c) Hipparchus,
51 discovered the effects of precession,
52 measured the size of the earth,
53 devised a system of stellar brightness now known as the magnitude system,
54 measured the relative sizes of and distances to the sun and moon,
55 measured the length of the year to within a few seconds?
================================
Who of the following early astronomers
a) Copernicus d) Newton
b) Galileo e) Tycho
c) Kepler
56 First used a refractor;
57 First used a reflector;
58 Wrote De Revolutionobus;
59 Wrote The Sidereal Messenger;
60 Wrote The Principia?
==================================
Which of the following orbital elements,
a) semi major axis, d) time of perihelion passage, T,
b) anomaly, e) eccentricity,
c) inclination of orbit plane to ecliptic plane,
61 gives the size of an orbit,
62 gives the shape of an orbit,
63 tells where the object is at any time in its orbit,
64 causes the planets to be found away from the ecliptic,
65 is not considered to be a formal orbital element.
=================================
Near which of the following dates
a) 1 January, b) 22 January, c) 22 March, d) 22 June, e) 22 September,
66 are days the shortest and nights the longest,
67 does the sun rise farthest north (ie, smallest sunrise azimuth),
(The azimuth of the north point is zero and increases eastward. The east point is 90º.)
68 do sidereal clocks and standard time agree,
69 is the zenith distance of the sun at noon about 51?,
70 is earth closest to the sun (perihelion passage),
71 does the full moon pass nearly overhead,
72 does the sun appear to cross the celestial equator from north?to?south,
73 does the sun have a declination ???23.5?,
74 does the sun have a right ascension of six hours,
75 is the declination of the sun nearly the same as the previous day?
Which of these five telescope designs
76 is a Cassegrain,
77 was first used to observe sunspots,
78 is likely to be used on a spotting ‘scope (or telescopic sight),
79 was developed by the person who wrote the Principia,
80 is popular for the class of people who watch, eg, Verdi.
Which of the following orbits,
a) parabolic, d) hyperbolic,
b) spiral, e) elliptical,
c) circular,
81 did Kepler first discover,
82 is the orbit of a body having constant speed,
83 is the orbit of a body whose orbital angular momentum is not constant,
84 is the orbit of comet Enke,
85 pertains to a body visiting the solar system from beyond the solar system?
=============================
86 The bright planet in the west after* sunset is
a) Mercury, b) Venus, c) Mars, d) Jupiter, e) Saturn.
* implies one or two hours
87 The bright planet in the east after* sunset is
a) Mercury, b) Venus, c) Mars, d) Jupiter, e) Saturn.
88 The bright planet in the west before* sunrise is
a) Mercury, b) Venus, c) Mars, d) Jupiter, e) Saturn.
89 The bright planet in the east before* sunrise is
a) Mercury, b) Venus, c) Mars, d) Jupiter, e) Saturn.
90 The planet 5.2 AU from the sun is
a) Mercury, b) Venus, c) Mars, d) Jupiter, e) Saturn.
91 At this moment the Moon's phase is best described as
a) first quarter, d) waxing crescent,
b) new, e) last quarter.
c) waxing gibbous,
92 At 7PM tonight, the southern cross (Crux)
a) is below the horizon, d) is high in the west,
b) is high in the east, e) is low in the west.
c) is in transit,
93 The planet having a nearly 12 year sidereal period is
a) Mercury, b) Venus, c) Mars, d) Jupiter, e) Saturn.
94 The planet with the longest synodic period is
a) Mercury, b) Venus, c) Mars, d) Jupiter, e) Saturn.
95 The brightest planet is
a) Mercury, b) Venus, c) Mars, d) Jupiter, e) Saturn.
96 The magnitude difference corresponding to a brightness ratio of two is
a) 0.2, b) 0.5, c) 0.75, d) 1.5, e) 2.0 magnitudes.
97 The magnitude of Mars between conjunction and opposition changes by
a) 1.27, b) 1.59, c) 3.14, d) 4.33, e) 5.8 magnitudes.
98 If the Sun’s temperature were doubled, the Sun’s magnitude would drop by
a) 1.27, b) 1.59, c) 3.14, d) 4.33, e) 5.8 magnitudes.
99 If the Sun’s temperature were doubled, the wavelength of maximum emission would shift
from the present 500nm to about
a) 250, b) 125, c) 31, d) 1000, e) 8000nm.
100 The Moon raises tides on the Earth. The Earth raises tides on the Moon that are
a) the same as the earth tides,
b) 6500 times greater,
c) half a million times greater,
d) a bit less than earth tides,
e) 81 times greater than tides raised on Earth by the Moon.
Spoilers
51 c,e,c,a,c
56 b,d,a,b,d
61 a,e,d,c,b
66 d,d,e,d,a, d,e,a,d,d
76 b,c,e,a,c
81 e,c,b,e,d
86 b,c,c, accept a or d
90 d, accept E or B
92 b,d,c,b,c,c,c,a,e