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Astronomy 1st Semester Final Exam Review
Unit 1: Measurement & Navigation
Vocab
Light year

Definition

Speed of light
Astronomical unit
Law of Universal
Gravitation
How long would it take you to get to Mars (225 million km away) if you were traveling at
the speed of light (3x108 m/s)? (1 km = 1,000 m)

How long does it take light from the sun to reach the earth?
Explain how the planets in our solar system are spread out.

What would your scaling factor be if you are using 40 m to represent our solar system?
The solar system is 39.3 AU.

Vocab
Right ascension

Definition

Declination
Celestial sphere
Zenith
Use the figure to answer the question below.

Which star will appear to rise and set? Why.

Use Star Charts 1-4 to answer questions.

What is right ascension measured in?
What is declination measured in?
Find the right ascension and declination of a star.
Use a solar motion demonstrator to answer
questions.
Why does the amount of sunlight change as you move
from the North Pole to the equator?
During a certain time of the year, people in Alaska will experience complete darkness for
the entire day. Why does this happen?
Why do constellations appear in different parts on the sky throughout the year?
Unit 2: History of Astronomy
Vocab

Definition

Which culture believed in

it?

Heliocentric universe
Geocentric universe
Copernican model
What did Galileo Galilei observe first?
Unit 3: Earth
What are greenhouse gases?
What shape is Earths orbit around the Sun?
Unit 4: Earth & Moon
How does the size of the Moon compare with that of the Earth?
Is there an atmosphere on the moon?

How does the Moon influence tides on Earth?

What is a spring tide? Draw a diagram.
What is a neap tide? Draw a diagram.
When did the moon landing (conspiracy or not) happen?
Why do we always see the same side of the Moon?
What does waxing mean?
What does waning mean?
Draw the phases of the moon in order starting with a New Moon.

Why does the Moon seem to change shape?

Why does the moon appear to shine in the night sky?
Unit 5: The Sun
Why is the sun the brightest star in our night sky?
What is our sun made of?
Draw a diagram of the sun and include what happens in each layer.

List facts about sunspots.

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What is a solar storm and what are some things that it does to Earth?
Unit 6: Seasons & Eclipses
What is an eclipse?
What is a solar eclipse? Draw a diagram.

What is a lunar eclipse? Draw a diagram.

Vocab
Partial eclipse

Definition

Draw it

Total eclipse
Annular eclipse

What degree is the moons orbit titled relative to Earths orbit around the sun?