Astronomy: Chapter 1

When we watch the nighttime sky, we find that

• the stars and constellations remain fixed in our sky, not rising or setting in a time as short as one night because they are so far away.
• most stars and constellations slowly rise in the east and set in the west.
• most stars and constellations slowly rise in the west and set in the east.
• all stars and constellations reach their highest point in the sky at midnight.

What is the phase of the Moon during a total lunar eclipse?

• New
• Full
• Gibbous
• First quarter

The nightly motion of objects across our sky from horizon to horizon is caused by

• the motion of the solar system around the Galaxy.
• the revolution of the Earth around the Sun.
• the rotation of the whole celestial sphere of stars around the fixed Earth.
• the rotation of the Earth on its axis.

A person standing in the Moon's penumbra will see

• a total lunar eclipse.
• a partial lunar eclipse.
• a total solar eclipse.
• a partial solar eclipse.

How does the Moon rotate in order to keep one face pointed toward the Earth at all times?

• It rotates once per year.
• It rotates once per month.
• It does not rotate at all.
• It rotates once per day.

Are the constellations seasonal?

• No, if you wait long enough, you can see all of the constellations on any clear night of the year.
• Yes, on a summer night all the constellations you can see are different from those you can see on a winter night.
• Yes, on a summer night many of the constellations you can see are different from those you can see on a winter night. But there are some constellations you can see all year long.
• Yes. As the year progresses, the constellations change their positions with respect to each other. So every night brings a different mixtue of summer and winter constellations.

About how many days does it take to moon to go through a complete cycle?

• 7 days
• 365 days
• 29 days
• 20 days

When the visible (lit) portion of the moon is increasing, the moon is:

• waning
• full
• waxing
• new

Changes in the moon's appearance are

• phases
• eclipses
• stages
• cycle

Why do we always see the same side of the moon from Earth?

• because the phases change
• because it rotates and revolves at the same rate
• because half of the moon always receives sunlight
• The moon changes positions