1. Seasons are caused by

(A)  magnetic fields.
(B)  the rotation of the Earth.
(C)  changes in the energy output of the Sun.
(D)  the changing distance from the Earth to the Sun.
(E)  the Earth orbiting around the Sun with a tilted spin axis.
 
2. The coldest day in winter is usually in Jan-Feb, while the Winter Solstice is in December. Why isn't the Winter Solstice the coldest day in winter?

(A)  The days are shorter in Jan-Feb.
(B)  The weather is worse in Jan-Feb.
(C)  It takes time for the Earth to cool down.
(D)  The holiday spirit warms up the Earth near the Winter Solstice.
(E)  The Earth is closer to the Sun on the Winter Solstice.
 
3. The Sun rises in the east and sets in the west.  What about the stars?

(A)  They are fixed in the sky.
(B)  They all rise in the east and set in the west.
(C)  They all rise in the west and set in the east.
(D)  Except for circumpolar stars, they rise in the east and set in the west.
(E)  Except for circumpolar stars, they rise in the west and set in the east.
 
4. How many times does the Earth rotates about its axis in one revolution around the Sun?

(A)  1
(B)  24
(C)  365
(D)  3600
(E)  26,000
 
5. How long does the precession of the Earth's spin axis take to complete a cycle?

(A)  1 day
(B)  1 month
(C)  1 year
(D)  26,000 years
(E)  100 light years
 
6. When the northern hemisphere of the Earth is tilted toward the Sun, it is ______ in the northern hemisphere.
   (A)  spring
   (B)  summer
   (C)  autumn
   (D)  winter
   (E)  all of the above
    
7. The precession of the Earth's spin axis is caused by

(A)  the gravitational pull on the Earth's ``equatorial bulge''.
(B)  the magnetic interaction between the Sun and the Earth.
(C)  the solar wind from the Sun.
(D)  earthquakes.
(E)  an illusion.
 
8. When do we see the Sun directly overhead in Illinois?

(A)  vernal equinox
(B)  summer solstice
(C)  autumnal equinox
(D)  winter solstice
(E)  never
 
9. Where would you need to go on the Earth to have the Sun directly overhead on the summer solstice?

(A)  the equator
(B)  the Tropic of Cancer
(C)  the Tropic of Capricorn
(D)  Antarctica
(E)  North Pole
 
10. What can be seen at Fort Yukon in Alaska (near the North Pole)?

(A)  a Foucault pendulum's swing-plane rotates 360^o in 24 hours
(B)  stars trace circles overhead
(C)  the Big Dipper near the zenith
(D)  the Sun in a mid-summer night
(E)  all of the above
 
11. What does the experiment of Foucault pendulums prove?
    (A)  The Earth rotates.
    (B)  The Earth revolves around the Sun.
    (C)  The Earth's spin axis wobbles.
    (D)  The solar system moves in the Milky Way galaxy.
    (E)  The Milky Way galaxy flies through space.
     
12. The brightest star in the night sky is

(A)  Polaris.
(B)  Sirius.
(C)  the Moon.
(D)  Vega.
(E)  Betelgeuse.
 
13. How many stars can be seen with naked eyes (on a clear night at a dark site)?

(A)  a few tens
(B)  a few hundred
(C)  a few thousand
(D)  a few million
(E)  they can only be seen in Hollywood
 
14. The constellation ``Orion'' is a(n)

(A)  ``shepherd''.
(B)  ``hunter''.
(C)  ``filmmaker''.
(D)  ``Egyptian god''.
(E)  ``cookie''.
 
15. Which of the following is an ancient constellation?

(A)  The Pleiades
(B)  Canes Venacti
(C)  Sirius
(D)  Virgo
(E)  Telescopium
 
16. Which of the following is a modern constellation?

(A)  The Pleiades
(B)  Canes Venacti
(C)  Sirius
(D)  Virgo
(E)  Telescopium
 
17. Which of the following is true about "magnitudes" of stars?

(A)  First magnitude stars are the dimmest.
(B)  They are used to measure stellar brightnesses.
(C)  They are used to measure the sizes of stars.
(D)  Magnitudes measure the strengths of magnetic fields.
(E)  A and B
 
18. Why do we have a leap year every 4 years except for the century years indivisible by 400?

(A)  Astronomers like to confuse people.
(B)  The period of the earth's orbit around the Sun is not 365 days exactly.
(C)  The earth's spin axis is tilted, so these corrections are needed.
(D)  4, 100, 400... is a sequence of numbers called ``the Leap Series".
(E)  It was an arbitrary choice by Pope Gregory XIII.
 
19. The brightest star in the constellation Orion is called

(A)  1 Ori.
(B)  Alpha Ori.
(C)  Orion 1.
(D)  A Ori.
(E)  Oreo.
 
20. The "Big Dipper" is

(A)  a constellation.
(B)  a very bright star.
(C)  a Galaxy.
(D)  an asterism.
(E)  a group of asteroids.
 
21. Alpha Centauri is at 1.3 pc (Hint: 1 pc = 3.26 ly) from the Sun, so the light we see from Alpha Centauri left the star

(A)  about 4 seconds ago.
(B)  about 4 hours ago.
(C)  about 4 days ago.
(D)  about 4 months ago.
(E)  about 4 years ago.
 
22. The ecliptic runs through a group of constellations called

(A)  the Zodiac.
(B)  circumpolar constellations.
(C)  the Flamsteed Circle.
(D)  the Zenith.
(E)  none of the above.
 
23. Why did ancient peoples create the constellations?

(A)  to tell stories
(B)  to honor heroes
(C)  to mark the passing of seasons
(D)  to describe the sky
(E)  all of the above
 
24. The Horoscope says the the Sun is in Virgo on Aug 23-Sep 22. However, observations show that the Sun is really in Virgo on Sep 17-Oct 30. Why are these dates different?

(A)  The Sun is moving rapidly through space.
(B)  Astrologers use the Chinese lunar calendar.
(C)  Astronomers use the sidereal calendar.
(D)  The Horoscopic dates are out of date.
(E)  The Earth is slowing down in its orbit.
 
25. On the Summer Solstice, in Illinois we see
    (A)  the sunrise in the northeast and sunset in the southwest.
    (B)  the sunrise in the northeast and sunset in the northwest.
    (C)  the sunrise in the east and sunset in the west.
    (D)  the Sun at the zenith at noon.
    (E)  the Sun north of the zenith at noon.
     

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    Last updated September 7, 2001

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