Chapter 2 - Chapter 3 (Week 2)

Question 1

In what way does the Earth Rotate?

Answer 1

Earth rotates around its axis once a day towards the east (right hand rule)

Question 2

What is latitude

Answer 2

measures distance north or south of the equator

Question 3

What is longitude

Answer 3

measures diistance east or west of an arbitrarily chosen reference point.

Question 4

what is the celestial sphere

Answer 4

Celestial poles and equators are projections of the Earth’s poles and equator in the sky. The north celestial pole is directly above the earth’s north pole. The south celestial pole is directly above Earth’s south pole

Question 5

What is the ecliptic

Answer 5

the ecliptic is the Sun’s apparent annual path around the celestial sphere

Question 6

Stars in constellations

Answer 6

Stars are all at different distances, so a side view of the constellation would look very different

Question 7

What are constellations

Answer 7

Constellations come to be from cultures throughout history that have identified shapes and told stories about the stars. Such as Roman Constellations, Chinese Constellations, Ojibwe Constellations. orientations and positions of the constellations change over the course of the year.

Question 8

What affects how constellations are seen?

Answer 8

Earth’s position relative to the sun determines which constellations are visible at night.

Question 9

What causes Seasonal variations? Draw a picture with the Vernal equinox, Summer solstice, Autumnal Equinox, and Winter Solstice.

Answer 9

Seasonal variations are caused by the Earth’s rotation axis (North and South poles) is tilted relative to its orbital axis around the sun.

Question 10

What happens in the June Solstice

Answer 10

Noon sun hits the ground at a steep angle in the Northern hemisphere and a shallow angle in the southern hemisphere

Question 11

What happens in the December Solstice

Answer 11

Noon sun hits the ground at a shallow angle in the northern hemisphere, noon sun hits the ground at a steep angle in the southern hemisphere.

Question 12

Why doesn’t distance matter?

Answer 12

The variation of Eath-Sun distance is small (only 3%). The Earth is closest during the northern winter and farthest during the northern summer.

Question 13

How does the moon orbit around the earth?

Answer 13

same right-hand rule

Question 14

What are the phases of the moon and what causes them

Answer 14

The moon has phases due to the illumination by the sun The moon has two categories of phases the first is waxing and waning. The waxing part consists of the waxing crescent, first quarter, and waxing gibbous. The waning phase has the waning gibbous, the last quarter and the waning crescent.

Question 15

What causes Eclipses?

Answer 15

Earth and the moon both cast shadows, when either passes through the other’s shadow we see an eclipse.

Question 16

How does a total lunar eclipse occur?

Answer 16

this happens when the moon passes entirely through the umbra

Question 17

How does a partial Eclipse occur?

Answer 17

A partial eclipse occurs wen the moon is partially in the umbra and the penumbra

Question 18

why does the moon look red

Answer 18

The red light from the sun is refracted through the earth’s atmosphere whilst the blue light is scattered by the Earth’s atmosphere. The red light which is refracted passes through the atmosphere and falls onto the moon.

Question 19

What is the scientific method?

Answer 19

make observations - ask a question - suggest a hypothesis - make a prediction - perform a test (test can support the hypothesis or go against hypothesis - if not then revise hypothesis and go again)

Question 20

What is Deductive reasoning

Answer 20

“top-down” approach: start with theory - then make a hypothesis, then make observations to confirm or refuse the hypothesis. (scientific method is an example)

Question 21

What is Inductive reasoning

Answer 21

“bottom-up” approach: start with general observations, search for patterns, and use these patterns to develop a cohesive model or theory.

Question 22

What are some hallmarks of a scientific theory

Answer 22

• based on natural causes
• simplicity
• falsifiability, make predictions that can be tested and falsified.

Question 23

What is the difference between astrology and astronomy

Answer 23

Astronomy is the study of the universe and its contents outside of the Earth’s atmosphere. Astrology is the study of how those positions, motions, and properties affect people and events on earth.

Question 24

What are the three types of solar eclipses?

Answer 24

A solar eclipse happens when the moon comes between the earth and the sun. This causes the shadow of the moon falls on earth. However, it is only a small portion.
1. total -
2. partial
3. annular

Question 25

Why don’t we see an eclipse every month?

Answer 25

well the moon’s orbit is tilted by 5 degrees relative to the earth this places the moon outside of the shadow of the earth for most full moons and it also moves the earth out of the moon’s shadow.

Question 26

You are visiting Sydney, Australia. You measure the altitude of the South Celestial Pole, which is 32 degrees. What is your latitude and which way (clockwise or counter-clockwise) would the sky appear to turn around the south celestial pole?

Answer 26

32

Question 27

Where on Earth does one have to be in order to see all the stars over the entire year?

Answer 27

At the earths equator

Question 28

What phase is the moon in if it rises at sunset and sets during sunrise?

Answer 28

Full moon

Question 29

timings and phases of the moon

Answer 29

look at image