Celestial Observation Quiz

Celestial Observation Mini Quiz

Answer each question individually or all on the same page.

Binary and double stars sometimes look like one star with the naked eye. True or False?
1. True
2. False
True or False? All cultures around the world use the same constellations.
1. True
2. False
True or False? Constellations are stars that are close together in space.
1. True
2. False
True or False? We see the same constellations in the sky all year long.
1. True
2. False
True or False? Planets can affect the appearance of a constellation.
1. True
2. False
An Asterism is..?
1. Another name for constellation
2. The numbering system of a constellation
3. A pattern of stars
Which of these is NOT a type of star cluster?
1. Open
2. Globular
3. Elliptical
How are stars within a constellation labelled according to brightness?
1. Numbered 1 to 10
2. Assigned Greek letters
3. Given special stickers
Galaxies and Nebulae were originally referenced by Charles Messier. Today astronomers use the NGC. What does it stand for?
1. NASA Galaxy Classification
2. New General Catalogue
3. Night Globe Comic
What is a quick way to find the star Polaris in the night sky?
1. Follow the two end stars on the right upwards in the Plough (Ursa Major)
2. Follow the three stars in Orion’s Belt down up to the right
3. Follow the top right and bottom right stars of the Square of Pegasus down
What is a quick way to find the star Sirius in the night sky?
1. Follow the two end stars upwards in the Plough (Ursa Major)
2. Follow the three stars in Orion’s Belt down to the left
3. Follow the cross of Cygnus
What is a quick way to find the star Arcturus in the night sky?
1. Follow the three stars downwards in Orion’s Belt
2. Follow the cross of Cygnus
3. Follow the path of the 'handle' of the Plough
What is a quick way to find the star Aldebaran in the night sky?
1. Follow the three stars in Orion’s Belt up to the right
2. Follow the top right and bottom right stars of the Square of Pegasus down
3. Follow the three stars downwards in Orion’s Belt
What is a quick way to find the Pleiades in the night sky?
1. Follow the three stars in Orion’s Belt up to the right, pass through Aldebaran
2. Follow the three stars in Orion’s Belt down to the left
3. Follow the two end stars on the right upwards in the Plough (Ursa Major)
What is a quick way to find the star Fomalhaut in the night sky?
1. Follow the three stars downwards in Orion’s Belt
2. Follow the top right and bottom right stars of the Square of Pegasus down to the horizon
3. Follow the path of the 'handle' of the Plough
What is a quick way to find the Andromeda Galaxy in the night sky?
1. Follow the three stars downwards in Orion’s Belt
2. Follow the path of the 'handle' of the Plough
3. Follow a line to the right from the bottom right and top left stars of the Square of Pegasus
What is the equivalent of celestial longitude?
1. Eccentricity
2. Declination
3. Right Ascension
0 degrees Right Ascension is also known as..?
1. Equatorial Declination
2. The First Point of Aries
3. Declination minus 0
Ursa Major is a circumpolar constellation from which of these locations?
1. UK
2. India
3. Australia
What is the ecliptic?
1. The angle in which the Earth is tilted
2. The line between the Earth and Moon
3. The line between the Earth and Sun that the planets appear to follow
True or False? A circumpolar star is one seen from one location all year long.
1. True
2. False
True or False? If you stood at the North Pole and looked up, Polaris would appear directly above you.
1. True
2. False
Which of these are useful for a naked eye observing session (tick more than one)?
1. Red torch
2. Clipboard
3. Pencil/rubber
4. Warm clothes
This is looking slightly away from an object to better detect light from it..?
1. Dark-adapted eye
2. Relaxed eye
3. Averted vision
This is not straining our eyes and placing less stress on them..?
1. Dark-adapted eye
2. Relaxed eye
3. Averted vision
This is the time it takes for your eyes to get used to the dark..?
1. Dark-adapted eye
2. Relaxed eye
3. Averted vision
What are star trails?
1. The natural movement of stars in the sky
2. Patterns of light from stars in long exposure photographs
3. The image in your head when you look at stars and spin around lots
The Sun moves in the sky from..?
1. East to West
2. West to East
3. North to South
When viewed from above the North Pole, Earth rotates from..?
1. East to West
2. West to East
3. North to South
Which of these means the imaginary line in the sky between the observers Pole and Zenith?
1. Latitude
2. Horizon
3. Meridian