What I got wrong in past papers

Question 1

What does orion’s belt point to?

Answer 1

Sirius

Question 2

What is meant by the local group?

Answer 2

Galaxies close to us

Question 3

What is the diagonal band in the Hertzsprung - Russell Diagram known as?

Answer 3

Main sequence

Question 4

Where are white dwarfs in the Hertzsprung Russell diagram?

Answer 4

Top right

Question 5

Where are red giants in the Hertzsprung Russell diagram?

Answer 5

Bottom left

Question 6

How do astronomers observe neutron stars?

Answer 6

Neutron stars emit radio waves in bursts/pulses

They use radio telescopes to observe these

Question 7

Where is the proposed origin of long period comets?

Answer 7

The Oort Cloud

Question 8

At what distance is the apparent magnitude of a star equal to its absolute magnitude?

Answer 8

10pc

Question 9

What is supposedly younger, Terrae or Maria?

Answer 9

Maria

Question 10

Why are the world’s largest telescopes reflectors rather than refractors?

Answer 10

Mirrors let more light in meaning higher resolution

Question 11

What’s an astronomical object that an X-ray astronomer might observe?

Answer 11

Sun’s Corona

Question 12

State two key facts about Quasars:

Answer 12

High redshifts and AGN at the centre

Question 13

How were Quasars discovered?

Answer 13

Lunar occulation
Strong radio sources
Highly redshifted absorption lines

Question 14

What information can you obtain from the Messier Catalogue?

Answer 14

Which nebulae/clusters are visible

Location of nebulae

Question 15

How was CMB radiation discovered?

Answer 15

Radio noise

Radiation measured from all directions

Question 16

What is the significance of the ‘ripples’ in CMB radiation?

Answer 16

Distribution of matter/galaxies

Evidence for dark matter/energy

Question 17

Which was the first member of our solar system to be discovered using photographs?

Answer 17

Pluto

Question 18

Describe the appearance of an open cluster:

Answer 18

Fuzzy, faint, few bright stars visible

Question 19

Why can lunar eclipses be observed more often than solar eclipses?

Answer 19

Because the Earth is bigger than the moon in relativity to the sun so more of the Earth can see the lunar eclipse

Question 20

How does solar wind cause aurorae?

Answer 20

charged particles react with atoms in the atmosphere which emits fluorescence light

Question 21

Why is the dust tail of a comet slightly curved?

Answer 21

dust particles spread out due to independent orbits

Question 22

What absorbs IR radiation in the atmosphere

Answer 22

Carbon Dioxide

Question 23

How were the van allen belts discovered?

Answer 23

discovered by geiger counter

Question 24

Describe the doppler principle:

Answer 24

change in wavelength due to relative motion between source and observer

Question 25

What are circumpolar stars?

Answer 25

Stars that don't set

Question 26

What is averted vision?

Answer 26

Not looking directly at an object; observing slightly to the side

Question 27

What does the two most right stars of the plough point to?

Answer 27

Polaris

Question 28

What type of star lies at the centre of a planetary nebula?

Answer 28

White dwarf

Question 29

What do astronomers use to detect black holes?

Answer 29

Microwaves

Question 30

What is the approx diameter of the Milky Way?

Answer 30

30kpc

Question 31

Why is it not possible to map the spiral arms using visible light?

Answer 31

Dust absorbs visible light

Question 32

Why is it important to monitor the motion of PHOs?

Answer 32

To predict if an impact is likely

Question 33

What is the significance of white patches on the sun?

Answer 33

Strong x-ray emitters, very high temperature, site of solar flare

Question 34

Why does h-alpha improve observations of the sun?

Answer 34

Shows the atmosphere

Question 35

Why would radio communication be a major problem on a space mission to mars?

Answer 35

Large distances - time delays

Question 36

What is the physical nature of Saturns rings?

Answer 36

Not solid, thin

Question 37

What is the chemical composition of Saturns rings?

Answer 37

Rock/ice | Frozen gases

Question 38

How was CMB discovered?

Answer 38

In 1965 by penzias and Wilson using horn antenna

Question 39

What was the specific purpose of WMAP?

Answer 39

To study ripples or variations in CMB radiation

Question 40

What is the significance of WMAP's observations to cosmologists?

Answer 40

Refine models of early universe | Estimate the proportions of dark matter/energy

Question 41

How do astronomers use the spectrum of a star to classify its spectral type?

Answer 41

Astronomers compare the relative strength of H, He and metals Relative amounts relate to O,B,A etc

Question 42

What is the significance of the ecliptic on a star chart?

Answer 42

Shows motion/path of the sun