LET REVIEW

ASTRONOMY
1. Evidence that the universe is expanding is best provided by the
a.) red shift in the light from distant galaxies
b.) change in the swing direction of a Foucault pendulum on Earth
c.) parallelism of Earth’s axis in orbit
d.) spiral shape of the Milky Way Galaxy
2. Which object forms by the contraction of a large sphere of gases causing the nuclear fusion of lighter elements into heavier
elements?
a.) comet b.) star c.) planet d.) moon
3. In New York State, summer is warmer than winter because in summer New York State has
a.) fewer hours of daylight and receives low angle insolation
b.) fewer hours of daylight and receives high angle insolation
c.) more hours of daylight and receives low- angle insolation
d.) more hours of daylight and receives high angle insolation
4. Which statement best describes the position of the Sun at sunrise and sunset as seen by an observer in New York State on
June 21?
a.) The Sun rises north of due east and sets north of due west.
b.) The Sun rises south of due east and sets south of due west.
c.) The Sun rises north of due east and sets south of due west.
d.) The Sun rises
Base your answers to questions 5 through 7 on the diagram below, which represents Earth in its orbit around the Sun. The position of
Earth on the first day of each season is labeled A, B, C, andD.

5.Which diagram correctly shows the directions of Earth’s revolution and rotation? B.2

6.At which location are the Sun’s noontime rays perpendicular to Earth’s surface at the Tropic of Cancer (23.5° N)?
a.) A b.) B c.) C d.) D
7. Which event is caused by Earth’s revolution?
a.) the apparent shift in the path of a Foucault pendulum
b.) deflection of planetary winds to the right in the Northern Hemisphere
c.) the apparent rising and setting of the Sun
d.) different constellations observed in the night sky throughout the year
8. As viewed from Earth, most stars appear to move across the sky each night because
a.) Earth revolves around the Sun
b.) Earth rotates on its axis
c.) stars orbit around Earth
d.) stars revolve around the center of the galaxy
9. The explosion associated with the Big Bang theory and the formation of the universe is inferred to have occurred how many billion
years ago?

a.) less than 1 b.) 4.6 c.) 2.5 d.) over 10

10. When viewed from Earth, the light from very distant galaxies shows a red shift. This isevidence that these distant galaxies are
a.) revolving around the Sun
b.) revolving around the Milky Way
c.) moving away from Earth
d.) moving toward Earth
11. Which arrangement of the Sun, the Moon, and Earth results in the highest high tides, and the lowest low tides on Earth? (Diagrams
are not drawn to scale.) 3 C
12. Which type of electromagnetic energy has the longest wavelength?
a.) infrared radiation
b.) radio wave radiation
c.) ultraviolet radiation
d.) x-ray radiation
13. The average temperature at Earth’s equator is higher than the average temperature at Earth’s South Pole because the South Pole?
a.) receives less intense insolation
b.) receives more infrared radiation
c.) has less land area
d.) has more cloud cover
14. Which object is closest to Earth?
a.) the Sun b.) the Moon c.) Venus d.) Mars
15. Compared to other groups of stars, the group that has relatively low luminosities and relatively low temperatures is the
a.) White Dwarfs b.) Red Giants c.) Red Dwarfs d.) Blue Super giants
16. The diagram below shows the Moon orbiting Earth, as viewed from space above Earth’s North Pole. The Moon is shown at eight
positions in its orbit.

Spring ocean tides occur when the difference in height between high tide and low tide is greatest. At which two positions of the Moon
will spring tides occur on Earth?
a.) 1 and 5 b.) 3 and 7 c.) 2 and 6 d.) 4 and 8
17.Which sequence correctly lists the relative sizes from smallest to largest?
a.) our solar system, universe, Milky Way Galaxy
b.) our solar system, Milky Way Galaxy, universe
c.) Milky Way Galaxy, our solar system, universe
d.) Milky Way Galaxy, universe, our solar system
18. Which list of three planets and Earth’s Moon is arranged in order of increasing equatorial diameter?
a.) Earth’s Moon, Pluto, Mars, Mercury
b.) Pluto, Earth’s Moon, Mercury, Mars
c.) Mercury, Mars, Earth’s Moon, Pluto
d.) Mars, Mercury, Pluto, Earth’s Moon
19. The diagram below shows Earth’s orbit around the Sun and different positions of the Moon as it travels around Earth. Letters A
through D represent four different positions of the Moon.An eclipse of the Moon is most likely to occur when the Moon is at position
a.) A b.) B c.) C d.) D
20. If Earth’s axis were tilted 35° instead of 23.5°, the average temperatures in New York State would most likely
a.) decrease in both summer and winter
b.) decrease in summer and increase in winter
c.) increase in summer and decrease in winter
d.) increase in both summer and winter
21. During nighttime cooling, most of the energy radiated by Earth’s oceans into space is
a.) ultraviolet rays b.) visible light rays c.) gamma rays d.) infrared rays
22. Stars like Earth’s Sun most likely formed directly from a
a.) nebula b.) red giant c.) supernova d.) black dwarf
23. According to the diagram, a star like Earth’s Sun will eventually ?
a.) explode in a supernova c.) become a black hole
b.) change into a white dwarf d.) become a neutron star
24. The redshift of light from distant galaxies provides evidence that the universe is
a.) shrinking, only c.) expanding, only
b.) shrinking and expanding in a cyclic pattern d.) remaining the same size
25. The Milky Way galaxy is best described as
a.) a type of solar system
b.) a constellation visible to everyone on Earth
c.) a region in space between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter
d.) a spiral-shaped formation composed of billions of stars
26.In which list are the forms of electromagnetic energy arranged in order from longest to shortest wavelengths?
a.) gamma rays, x rays, ultraviolet rays, visible light
b.) radio waves, infrared rays, visible light, ultraviolet rays
c.) x rays, infrared rays, blue light, gamma rays
 d.) infrared rays, radio waves, blue light, red light
27. Compared to the average density of the terrestrial planets (Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars), the average density of the Jovian
planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) is
a.) less b.) greater c.) the same
28. The Sun’s position in space is best described as the approximate center of
a.) a constellation b.) the universe c.) the Milky Way galaxy d.) our solar system
29.Compared to Pluto, Mercury moves more rapidly in its orbit because Mercury ?
a.) is larger c.) is more dense
b.) is closer to the Sun d.) has a more elliptical orbit
30. The length of an Earth year is based on Earth’s
a.) rotation of 15°/hr c.) revolution of 15°/hr
b.) rotation of approximately 1°/day d.) revolution of approximately 1°/day
31. The passage of the Moon into Earth’s shadow causes a?
a.) lunar eclipse b.) new Moon c.) solar eclipse d.) full Moon
32. Which statement describes the general relationship between the temperature and the luminosity of main sequence stars?
a.) As temperature decreases, luminosity increases.
b.) As temperature decreases, luminosity remains the same
. c.) As temperature increases, luminosity increases.
e.) As temperature increases, luminosity remains the same.
33.Which planet has the least distance between the two foci of its elliptical orbit?
a.) Venus b.) Mars c.) Earth d.) Jupiter
34. Light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation are given off by stars using energy released during
a.) nuclear fusion b.) convection c.) conduction d.) radioactive decay
35.One factor responsible for the strength of gravitational attraction between a planet and the Sun is the
a.) degree of tilt of the planet’s axis c.) distance between the planet and the Sun
b.) planet’s period of rotation d.) amount of insolation given off by the Sun
36. Which planet is located approximately ten times farther from the Sun than Earth is from the Sun?
a.) Mars b.) Saturn c.) Jupiter d.) Uranus
37. Large craters found on Earth support the hypothesis that impact events have caused
a.) a decrease in the number of earthquakes and an increase in sea level
b.) an increase in solar radiation and a decrease in Earth radiation
c.) the red shift of light from distant stars and the blue shift of light from nearby stars
d.) mass extinctions of life-forms and global climate changes
38. What is the inferred age of our solar system, in millions of years?
a.) 544 b.) 4600 c.) 1300 d.) 10,000
39. Which object in our solar system has the greatest density?
a.) Jupiter b.) the Moon c.) Earth d.) the Sun
40. What is the main reason that the gravitational attraction between Earth and the Moon changes each day?
a.) Earth’s axis is tilted at 23.5°. c.) Earth’s rotational speed varies with the seasons.
b.) The Moon has an elliptical orbit. d.) The Moon has a spherical shape.
41.Which sequence of Moon phases could be observed from Earth during a 2-week period? C3

42. One factor responsible for the strength of gravitational attraction between a planet and the Sun is the
a.) degree of tilt of the planet’s axis c.) distance between the planet and the Sun
b.) planet’s period of rotation d.) amount of insolation given off by the Sun
43. In the demonstration, a student swings the weight hanging in the pail and then spins the stool. The stool represents
a.) the revolving Earth c.) the rotating Earth
b.) the Coriolis effect d.) convection currents
44. How do Jupiter’s density and period of rotation compare to Earth’s?
a.) Jupiter is less dense and has a longer period of rotation.
b.) Jupiter is less dense and has a shorter period of rotation.
c.) Jupiter is more dense and has a longer period of rotation.
d.) Jupiter is more dense and has a shorter period of rotation.
45. Earth’s orbital velocity is slowest on July 5 because
a.) the Moon is closest to Earth
b.) Earth’s distance from the Sun is greatest
c.) Earth, the Moon, and the Sun are located along a straight line in space
 d.) the highest maximum temperatures occur in the Northern Hemisphere
46. Three planets that are relatively large, gaseous, and of low density are?
a.) Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn c.) Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune
b.) Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus d.) Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus
47. Which planet takes more time to complete one rotation on its axis than to complete one revolution around the Sun?
a.) Mercury b.) Mars c.) Venus d.) Jupiter
48. Which star is cooler and many times brighter than Earth’s Sun?
a.) Barnard’s Star b.) Rigel c.) Betelgeuse d.) Sirius
49. Which observation provides the best evidence that Earth rotates?
a.) The position of the planets among the stars changes during the year.
b.) The location of the constellations in relationship to Polaris changes from month to month.
c.) The length of the shadow cast by a flagpole at noontime changes from season to season.
d.) The direction of swing of a freely swinging pendulum changes during the day.
50. An observer recorded the times of three successive high tides at one Earth location ?
as:

• 7:12 a.m.
• 7:38 p.m.
• 8:04 a.m.
What was the time of the next high tide?
a.) 8:12 p.m. b.) 8:38 p.m. c.) 8:30 p.m. d.) 9:04 p.m
51. Which is the stronger tide, neap or spring?
a.) Spring b.) Neap
52. How are spring tides set up?
a.) The moon on either side of the earth in a straight line with the sun.
b.) The moon perpendicular to the Earth in relation to the Sun.
53. Which of these phenomena is the most common?
a.) Solar Eclipses b.) Lunar Eclipses
54. What is a Solar Flare?
a.) When the sun expands.
b.) When the sun shrinks.
c.) When the sun releases large burst of energy and radiation.
d.) When the sun releases large bursts of energy and radiation, but is channeled back into the sun.
55. What is a Solar Prominence?
a.) When the sun expands.
b.) When the sun shrinks.
c.) When the sun releases large burst of energy and radiation.
d.) When the sun releases large bursts of energy and radiation, but is channeled back into the sun.
56. What is the Earth's axis?
a.) The imaginary circle around the middle of the Earth.
b.) The imaginary line dividing the America's and Europe and Africa.
c.) The imaginary line that passes through the poles that the Earth rotates on.
d.) The term axis refers to the Earth's poles.
57. What is the smallest planet?
a.) Mercury b.) Venus c.) Earth d.) Mars
58. What planet is: second from the sun, considered Earth's sister planet, and has days longer than it's years?
a.) Mercury b.) Venus c.) Earth d.) Mars
59. What planet is: fourth from the sun, has polar ice caps, and has red soil?
a.) Mercury b.) Venus c.) Earth d.) Mars
60. What is the largest planet?
a.) Jupiter b.) Saturn c.) Uranus d.) Neptune
61. What planet has the largest rings?
a.) Jupiter b.) Saturn c.) Uranus d.)Mars
62. What planets are considered the ice giants?
a.) Earth and Mars b.) Jupiter and Saturn c.) Neptune and Uranus d.) Mercury and Venus
63. Which of the following statements describes comets?
a.) Found in the kupier belt, made of ice and dust, and have elliptical orbits.
b.) Large rocky bodies full of craters that revolve around planets.
c.) Rocky bodies that orbit in the asteroid belt, vary in size and shape.
d.) Chunks of rock moving around the solar system.
64. Which of the following statements describes meteroids?
a.) Found in the kupier belt, made of ice and dust, and have elliptical orbits.
b.) Large rocky bodies full of craters that revolve around planets.
c.) Rocky bodies that orbit in the asteroid belt, vary in size and shape.
d.) Chunks of rock moving around the solar system.
65. Which of the following statements describes moons?
a.) Found in the kupier belt, made of ice and dust, and have elliptical orbits.
b.) Large rocky bodies full of craters that revolve around planets.
 c.) Rocky bodies that orbit in the asteroid belt, vary in size and shape.
d.) Chunks of rock moving around the solar system.
66. What is the proper term for a meteoroid that strikes the surface of a planet or moon?
a.) Asteroid b.) Meteor c.) Meteorite d.) Surface Meteoroid
67. What is the part of the sun that we can see normally from Earth?
a.) Corona b.) Photosphere c.) Chromosphere d.) Sunspots
68. Which of the following statements describes a spiral galaxy?
a.) A galaxy that has arms spread outward and spin.
b.) A small galaxy with few stars.
c.) An egg-shaped galaxy with a range of stars.
d.) An oddly shaped galaxy because of a collision with another galaxy.
69. Which of the following statements describes an elliptical galaxy?
a.) A galaxy that has arms spread outward and spin.
b.) A small galaxy with few stars.
c.) An egg-shaped galaxy with a range of stars.
d.) An oddly shaped galaxy because of a collision with another galaxy.
70.Which of the following statements describes an irregular galaxy?
a.) A galaxy that has arms spread outward and spin.
b.) A small galaxy with few stars.
c.) An egg-shaped galaxy with a range of stars.
d.) An oddly shaped galaxy because of a collision with another galaxy.
71. In what part of a galaxy is a blackhole located?
a.) Just outside of one.
b.) In the very center of the galaxy.
c.) On the outermost edge of a galaxy.
d.) Galaxies aren't near black holes.
72. What is the lunar phase before a new moon?
a.) Waxing Crescent b.) Waning Crescent c.) Waxing Gibbous d.) Waning Gibbous
73. What side of the moon is lit during the waxing phases?
a.) Right b.) Lift c.) Top d.) Dark Side
74. Which of the following planets has the red spot; a large storm moving on its surface the size of Earth?
a.) Mars b.) Jupiter c.) Neptune d.) Uranus
75. As an objects mass increases its gravity _________.
a.) Stops until the object stops growing.
b.) Increases, but returns to normal gravity after the object stops growing.
c.) Increases
d.) Decreases
76. Does distance concern the pull of gravity between two objects?
a.) No, distance doesn't matter at all.
b.) Yes, as the distance between two objects increases the gravity decreases.
c.) Yes, as the distance between two objects increases the gravity increases.
77. Are mass and weight the same?
a.) Yes, there is no difference between them.
b.) No, mass changes on different planets, but weight stays the same.
c.) No, mass never changes, but weight changes on planets of different sizes.
78. What is an equinox?
a.) The two times during the fall and spring that the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
b.) The two times during the fall and spring that there is equal light over the whole Earth.
c.) The time in the summer that the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
d.) The time in the summer that the southern hemisphere is tilted toward the sun.
79. Our sun and the planets that move around it, is called?
a.) solar system b.) rotation c.) axis d.) revolution
80. One complete turn of the Earth on its axis (24 hours)
a.) Asteroids b.) Rotation c.) Axis d.) Constellations
81. The imaginary line through the center of the Earth.
a.) Constellations b.) Asteroids c.) Axis d.) Comets
82. The curved path of the Earth around the sun
a.) Solar System b.) Satellite c.) Axis d.) Orbit
83. A group of stars that forms a particular shape in the sky and has been given a name
a.) Solar System b.) Constellations c.) Orbit d.) Axis
84. Any one of thousands of small rocky bodies that circle around the sun
a.) Rotation b.) Orbit c.) Comets d.) Asteroids
85. An object in outer space that develops a long, bright tail when it passes near the sun
a.) Comets b.) Asteroids c.) Orbit d.) Axis
86. The moon seems to change shape from day to day in a cycle that lasts about a month as it goes through _.
a.) revolutions b.) phases c.) rotations d.) eclipses
87. One complete orbit of the Earth around the sun takes about
a.) one rotation b.) half a year c.) one year d.) one season
88.What is the force that keeps planets moving around the sun and not just shooting off into space?
a.) solar energy b.) gravity
89.The third planet from the Sun
a.) Mercury b.) Neptune c.) Venus d.) Earth
90. Which planet is farthest from the Sun?
a.) Saturn b.) Uranus c.) Neptune d.) Venus
91. The star at the center of the Solar System that supplies heat and light to earth; its enormous gravity keep the Solar System in orbit.
a.) satellite b.) sun c.) craters d.)moon
92. Which of the following best describes why the patterns of shadows on Earth change throughout the day?
a.) the Earth is orbiting around the Sun c.) the Moon is revolving around the Sun
b.) the Earth is rotating on its axis d.) the Moon is rotating on its axis
93. What do Earth and the moon have in common?
a.) They are the same size c.) They both move around other objects
b.) They both give off their own light d.) They are both the same temperature
94. The Moon produces no light, and yet shines at night. This is because the Moon...
a.) Has many craters c.) Reflects light from the Earth
b.) Reflects light from the Sun d.) Rotates at a very high speed
95. What type of orbit does the Earth have? This was proven by astronomer Johannes Kepler.
a.) An elliptical orbit around the moon. c.) An elliptical orbit around the Sun.
b.) A circular orbit around the Sun. d.) a circular orbit around the earth.
96. Day and night are caused by _______________.
a.) Earth's rotation c.) Earth's revolution
b.) Moon's revolution d.) moon’s rotation
97. The astronomer ____________ theorized a _______________ that said everything revolved around the Earth.
a.) Galileo; geocentric universe c.) Ptolemy; geocentric universe
b.) Ptolemy; heliocentric universe d.) Copernicus; geocentric universe
98. _______________ Law of Universal Gravitation says that all objects in the universe have a gravitational force. This force of gravity
depends on __________________.
a.) Copernicus; size and distance c.) Newton; weight and distance
b.) Newton; mass and distance d.) Galileo; weight and distance
99. List the following items from smallest to largest.
a.) universe, solar system, galaxy c.) solar system, universe, galaxy
b.) solar system, galaxy, universe d.) they are just the same
100. ______________ improved on earlier models of the telescope to identify 4 moons of Jupiter, rings of Saturn, phases of Venus,
and more to become known as the "Father of Modern Observational Astronomy."
a.) Copernicus b.) Newton c.) Galileo d.) Ptolemy
101. Which planets have rings?
a.) Earth, Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn c.) Pluto, Venus, Neptune, and Mars
b.) Saturn, Uranus, Jupiter, and Neptune d.) Mars, Earth, Uranus, and Venus
102. Which planet has the most moons?
a.) Jupiter b.) Earth c.) Saturn d.) Mars
103. Which planets are the gaseous planets?
a.) Mercury, Mars, Neptune, and Uranus c.) Earth, Venus, Jupiter, and Neptune
b.) Neptune, Saturn, Jupiter, and Earth d.) Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune
104. The Roman god of water is the inspiration for which planet?
a.) Jupiter b.) Neptune c.) Venus d.) Mars
105. How many planets have water on them?
a.) 6 b.) 3 c.) 4 d.) 1
106. Which planet is home to the Great Red Spot?
a.) Jupiter b.) Mars c.) Saturn d.) Venus
107.Which planets have zero moons?
a.) Uranus and Mercury b.) Neptune and Mars c.) Venus and Earth d.) Mercury and Venus
108. Which planet is now classified as a dwarf planet?
a.) Mercury b.) Mars c.) Pluto d.) Jupiter
109. What is the hottest planet?
a.)Mercury b.) Venus c.) Earth d.) Mars
110. Which planet orbits on its axis sideways?
a.) Earth b.) Jupiter c.) Saturn d.) Uranus
111. How do gas giants differ from the terrestrial planets?
a.) terrestrial planets are much larger c.) terrestrial planets are much smaller
b.) gas giants are slightly larger d.) gas giants are slightly smaller
112. discovered Jupiter's four moons
a.) Copernicus b.) Galileo c.) Brahe d.) Aristotle
113. All of the Astronomer's we are studying collected their space data with the ONLY the naked eye, EXCEPT for ___ & _____.
a.) Copernicus, Galileo b.) Galileo, Kepler c.) Ptolemy, Kepler d.) Aristotle, Tycho Brahe
114. "Grandfather of Science"
a.) Galileo b.) Kepler c.) Ptolemy d.) Aristotle
115. "Founder of Modern Science"
 a.) Galileo b.) Kepler c.) Copernicus d.) Aristotle
116. This astronomer confirmed the heliocentric theory with his telescope.
a.) Galileo b.) Kepler c.) Copernicus d.) Aristotle
117. Predicted the position the planets are in today
a.) Galileo b.) Ptolemy c.) Copernicus d.) Aristotle
118. Used everyday observations to show Earth is a sphere
a.) Tycho Brahe b.) Kepler c.) Copernicus d.) Aristotle
119. Kepler was an assistant to this astronomer.
a.) Tycho Brahe b.) Ptolemy c.) Copernicus d.) Aristotle
120. All of the following were convinced the Heliocentric Model is accurate, EXCEPT
a.) Kepler, Brahe b.) Ptolemy, Galileo c.) Copernicus, Aristotle d.) Aristotle, Ptolemy
121. "Sun-Centered" universe model
a.) heliocentric b.) geocentric
122. Copernicus was placed under house arrest by the Catholic church for his belief that
a.) there is more than one universe (multi-universal)
b.) our solar system revolves around the sun (Heliocentric)
c.) there are 3 Laws of Motion
d.) there is only 10,000 stars in our solar system
123. ____ was an American astronomer with a large space telescope named after him.
a.) Hubble b.) Ptolemy c.) Newton d.) Galileo
124. Built an observatory and made the most accurate astronomical observations for more than 20 yrs.
a.) Giovanni Cassini b.) Tycho Brahe c.) Hipparchus d.) Isaac Newton
125. He showed the laws governing astronomical bodies were the same laws governing motion on Earth
a.) Isaac Newton b.) Charles Messier c.) Tycho Brahe d.) Hipparchus