NSCI 111 ASTRONOMY TEST #3 6/22/07 Dr. Holmes NAME 

ANSWER ALL THE QUESTIONS. THE WORTH OF EACH QUESTION IS IN () AFTER THE QUESTION.

1. (6) Fill in the following for one terrestrial type planet (excluding the earth) and for one giant type planet:

Type	NAME	Distance from sun in A.U.	Siderial Orbital Period	Snodic Orbital Period
Terrestrial	.	.	.	.
Giant	.	.	.	.

2. (6) Fill in the following for the same two planets as above:

Type	NAME	Diameter (in terms of the earth's)	Period of Rotation	Tilt of axis
Terrestrial	.	.	.	.
Giant	.	.	.	.

3. (8) For each of the two planets used above, give a brief description of any special features including major satellites and/or rings:

4. (8) List the planets in order of increasing distance from the sun (i.e., start with the closest planet and end with the farthest planet based on average distance) and give the approximate distance (in A.U.) from the sun for each of the planets.

#	NAME	Distance from sun (in A.U.)
1	.	.
2	.	.
3	.	.
4	.	.
5	.	.
6	.	.
7	.	.
8.	.	.
9	.	.

5. Name five of the major moons in our solar system, and list the planet each orbits: (1 point for each moon, 1 point for each planet)

name of moon / planet it orbits

6. (6) Draw a diagram (similar to the one drawn in class) showing where and how we on the earth see an inferior planet. Label on the diagram the four major positions of the planet. Indicate on the diagram when the planet is seen as a “morning star” and when as an “evening star”.

7. a) (3) Is the tilt of the earth or is the elliptical nature of the earth's orbit the major cause of the seasons?

b) (4) Give evidence to support your answer.

8. (For all three parts, answer in the same units for easy comparison) 

a) (3) What is the diameter of the earth? (You may substitute the circumference of the earth here but if you do, indicate this.)

b) (3) What is the distance from the earth to the moon?

c) (3) What is the distance from the earth to the sun?

9. Tell when the moon rises when it is at the following four phases:

a) (2)new moon:

b) (2) full moon:

c) (2) third quarter:

d) (2) first quarter:

e) (1) Which half of the visible moon is bright during the third quarter phase at the time of day (or night) when the moon is high in the sky: North, South, East, or West? [Hint: consider in which direction the sun is at this time of day (or night).]

10. (10) Briefly discuss the conditions necessary to have a total lunar eclipse.

11. a) (3) Explain why we have leap years.

b) (3) Do we have leap years EVERY four years, or are there any exceptions? (If there are exceptions, explain why!)

12. a) (4) Where is the asteroid belt?

b) (1) what are the Trojan asteriods?

13. TRUE or FALSE (for each: +1 if correct, 0 if blank, -1 if wrong)

(or subtracting from 100: -0 if correct, -1 if blank, -2 if wrong) (To be true, all parts must be true including any statement and any cause)

__T__ a) As viewed from above the north pole, all of the planets orbit the sun in a counterclockwise direction.

T b) Except for Pluto (if you count it a planet), all the planets orbit the sun within 10 degrees of the ecliptic plane.

__F__ c) High tides are a little more than 6 hours apart. This is due to the moon's gravity pulling on the earth and the direction of the moon's orbit.

T d) Mercury will never be viewed more than about 28 degrees away from the sun.

T e) Jupiter can sometimes be seen opposite the Sun.

T f) The Kuiper belt is between 30 and 50 AU from the sun. This is the area that Pluto orbits in.

__T__ g) On the earth we have moonlight when the moon is in the sky. On the moon we would have earthlight when the earth is in the sky. This earthlight would be much brighter than moonlight is on the earth. 

__T__ h) Meteoroids are in space; meteorites have already hit the earth.

__F__ i) Mercury and Uranus do not have moons orbiting them. All the other planets have at least one moon orbiting them.

__T__ j) In a few thousand years, the North Star will no longer be almost directly above the North Pole as it is now. This is one effect of the wobbling of the earth’s tilt.

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