Untitled Deck

Question 1

What is the far side of the Moon?

Answer 1

Mostly highlands, less visible from Earth.

Question 2

What is the near side of the Moon?

Answer 2

Features dark maria and light highlands.

Question 3

How long does a lunar month take?

Answer 3

Takes about 29.5 days for full cycle.

Question 4

What is the first phase of the Moon?

Answer 4

New moon

Question 5

What phase comes after the new moon?

Answer 5

Waxing crescent

Question 6

What is the third phase of the Moon?

Answer 6

First quarter

Question 7

What phase follows the first quarter?

Answer 7

Waxing gibbous

Question 8

What is the fifth phase of the Moon?

Answer 8

Full moon

Question 9

What phase comes after the full moon?

Answer 9

Waning gibbous

Question 10

What is the seventh phase of the Moon?

Answer 10

Last quarter

Question 11

What is the final phase of the Moon before returning to new moon?

Answer 11

Waning crescent

Question 12

What are terrestrial planets?

Answer 12

Earth-like planets including Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars.

Question 13

What are jovian planets?

Answer 13

Larger planets with rings: Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.

Question 14

What is unique about Mercury?

Answer 14

Extremely thin atmosphere; very hot on sunlit side.

Question 15

What is unique about Venus?

Answer 15

Thick carbon dioxide atmosphere; hottest planet.

Question 16

What is unique about Earth?

Answer 16

Thin atmosphere of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide.

Question 17

What is unique about Mars?

Answer 17

Thin atmosphere mostly composed of carbon dioxide.

Question 18

What is unique about Jupiter?

Answer 18

Thick hydrogen and helium atmosphere; solid core possible.

Question 19

What is unique about Saturn?

Answer 19

Thick atmosphere; known for spectacular rings.

Question 20

What is unique about Uranus?

Answer 20

Solid core beneath liquid water, methane, ammonia ocean.

Question 21

What is unique about Neptune?

Answer 21

Similar to Uranus; atmosphere of hydrogen, helium, methane.

Question 22

What is Jupiter’s diameter?

Answer 22

About 83,082 to 88,846 miles; 11x Earth’s.

Question 23

What is Jupiter’s mass?

Answer 23

Approximately 318 times the mass of Earth.

Question 24

What is an astronomical unit (AU)?

Answer 24

Average distance from Sun to Earth; 93 million miles.

Question 25

What is the photosphere?

Answer 25

Visible surface layer of the Sun.

Question 26

What is the composition of the Sun?

Answer 26

77% hydrogen, 25% helium, 2% other elements.

Question 27

What are sunspots?

Answer 27

Dark spots on the Sun; cycle every 11 years.

Question 28

What is absolute magnitude?

Answer 28

Actual brightness of a star.

Question 29

What is apparent magnitude?

Answer 29

Brightness of a star as seen from Earth.

Question 30

What is a parsec?

Answer 30

Distance for 1 second of arc parallax: 3.26 light years. ## Footnote Parsec is based on arc seconds of separation (parallax) as seen from Earth's orbit.

Question 31

What is the Tycho Crater?

Answer 31

45 arcseconds wide; approximately 53 miles across.

Question 32

What is the Big Dipper?

Answer 32

It is a recognized group of stars in the Ursa Major constellation.

Question 33

What is an aurora?

Answer 33

Natural light display in Earth's sky, caused by solar wind.

Question 34

Who is Orion?

Answer 34

Great hunter; constellation; son of Poseidon.

Question 35

How can the Moon cover the Sun in a solar eclipse?

Answer 35

Because it is so much closer to us.