Astronomy Quiz: Diurnal and Annual Motion

What is diurnal motion?

• The apparent daily motion of celestial bodies due to Earth's rotation

• The yearly motion of stars due to Earth's revolution

• The movement of planets in a fixed path

• The change in the position of the North Star

What term did the Greeks use for stars that appeared to wander?

• Planetes

• Ecliptic

• Equinox

• Zodiac

How many wandering stars are mentioned in the text?

• Five

• Six

• Eight

• Seven

What is the ecliptic?

• The path of the moon around the Earth

• The path the sun takes in the celestial sphere

• The orbit of planets around the sun

• The position of stars in the sky

What are equinoxes?

• Days when the sun is at its highest point

• Days when the sun crosses the celestial equator

• Days with the longest daylight

• Days when the moon is full

When do the vernal and autumnal equinoxes occur?

• January 1 and July 4

• February 14 and October 31

• June 21 and December 21

• March 20 and September 22

What are solstices?

• Days when the moon is at its highest point

• Days when the sun is at its farthest declination

• Days with equal day and night

• Days when stars are most visible

Who discovered precession?

• Galileo

• Copernicus

• Hipparchus

• Ptolemy

What causes the precession of Earth's axis?

• The rotation of the Earth

• The orbit of the Earth around the Sun

• The gravitational pull of the Moon and Sun

• The movement of tectonic plates

What is a solar eclipse?

• When the sun is obscured by clouds

• When the moon passes between the Earth and the sun

• When the Earth is in the shadow of the moon

• When the Earth casts a shadow on the moon