Astronomy Celestial Motions Test Review
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True/False
1. The moon and visible planets are always within a few degrees of the ecliptic.
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2. Polaris has always been the star nearest the north celestial pole.
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3. The celestial equator always passes directly overhead.
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4. Navigators can find their latitude by measuring the angle from the northern horizon to the north celestial pole.
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5. The third quarter moon rises at noon.
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6. A total lunar eclipse is visible only from the path of totality.
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7. An eclipse season is the interval during which the sun crosses a node of the moon's orbit.
Review Questions:
1. What is a constellation?
2. How would you tell the brightest star in a constellation when looking at a star map
(think in terms of Greek letters)
3. What is the difference between apparent and absolute magnitude?
4. Refer to the chart below, what star would appear the brightest to an observer on Earth?
Star Name
Apparent Visual Magnitude
3.07
 Dra
2.53
 Cet
3.98
 Per
Nim
8.07
-1.46
 CMa
5. Refer to the table above. What is the intensity ratio of stars Dra to Nim?
6. Refer to the table above. What star would not be visible to the unaided eye from Earth?
7. Polaris is a second magnitude star, and Phi Pegasi is about 16 times fainter than Polaris. What is the
approximate magnitude of Phi Pegasi?
8. As seen from the northern latitudes, where do you always look to Polaris (include the angle).
9. What is the celestial equator?
10. The point directly above an observer is called the...
11. If you live a latitude 73 North, what is the angle between the north horizon and the north celestial
pole?
12. You live at a latitude of 28 N. What is the angle between the northern horizon and the north
celestial pole?
13. You live at a latitude of 32 N. What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon
at the vernal (spring) equinox?
14. You live at a latitude of 61 N. What is the angle between the southern horizon and the sun at noon
at the summer solstice?
15. If the north celestial pole appears on your horizon, what is your latitude?
16. An observer in the Northern Hemisphere takes a time exposure photograph of the night sky. If the
illustration depicts the photograph taken by the observer, which direction was the camera pointing?
17. When it is winter in the northern hemisphere, it is ____ in the southern hemisphere.
18. What is the cause for the seasons on Earth?
19. The summer solstice is the point on the ecliptic where the sun is...(furthest north, furthest south,
crossing the celestial equator)
20. How are the Milankovitch theory and ice ages related?
21. What 2 things cause the phases of the moon?
22. The first quarter moon rises at...
23. What moon phase would the moon be in if it were visible above the western horizon a couple
of hours sunrise?
24. The synodic period of the moon is...
25. The time for the moon to repeat its cycle of phases is...
26. When do lunar and solar eclipses occur?
27. What is eclipse season?
28. At what time would the first quarter moon rise?
29. In what direction would you look to observe the full moon at 6pm?
30. Be able to identify the following moon phases as observed from Earth; first quarter,
last quarter, waxing crescent, waxing gibbous full, new, wanning crescent.
31. In the diagram below, label and shade the phases of the moon.