AST 3043
Test 1, Spring 2008
1
QQ The term "celestial sphere" refers to 
AA S 1 (1) an imaginary sphere centered on the Earth 
but much larger to which the fixed stars are attached
(2) the Sun 
(3) the Sun, the Moon, or any of the "wandering 
stars" such as Venus 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

2
QQ The imaginary half-circle running from the north 
point on the horizon through the zenith to the south 
point is called the 
AA S 1 (1) celestial meridian
(2) horizon 
(3) celestial equator
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

3
QQ The altitude of the celestial pole at Gainesville 
(latitude 30 degrees N, longitude 82 degrees W) 
equals 
AA S 1 (1) 30 degrees
(2) 60 degrees
(3) 82 degrees
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

4
QQ The approximate date on which the Sun is farthest 
north of the celestial equator is 
AA S 1 (1) June 21
(2) Dec. 21
(3) [depends on whether one is in the Northern 
Hemisphere or the Southern Hemisphere]
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

5
QQ The imaginary point at which the Sun crosses the 
celestial equator moving from S to N is the 
AA S 1 (1) vernal equinox 
(2) autumnal equinox
(3) the ascending node 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

6
QQ The equatorial coordinate declination is 
measured 
AA S 1 (1) N or S of the celestial equator in units 
of angle (degrees, arcminutes, arcseconds)
(2) N or S of the ecliptic in units of amgle
(degrees, arcminutes, arcseconds)
(3) E along the celestial equator from the vernal 
equinox in units of time (hours, minutes, seconds)
(4) E along the ecliptic from the vernal equinox 
in units of angle (degrees, arcminutes, arcseconds)
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

7
QQ The time interval for the Moon to go 
around the celestial sphere with respect to 
the Sun (cycle of phases) is called the 
AA S 1 (1) synodic month
(2) sidereal month
(3) nodical month
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

8
QQ The Moon at third or last quarter should set 
approximately at 
AA S 1 (1) noon
(2) midnight
(3) 6 a.m.
(4) 6 p.m.
(5) NVA

9
QQ Which of the following can occur when the 
Moon's descending node is aligned with the 
vernal equinox?  
AA S 1 (1) lunar minor standstills
(2) lunar major standstills
(3) the Moon passes through the solstices
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

10
QQ The term trilithon refers to 
AA S 1 (1) two large vertical stones with a 
third resting across the top 
(2) any very large stone such as the ones 
at Stonehenge 
(3) an athletic event that was part of 
ancient religious ceremonies at Stonehenge
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

11
QQ  Which of the following suggested astronomical 
connections for Stonehenge is universally accepted?
AA S 1 (1) alignment of the center and the Heel 
Stone with summer solstice (midsummer) sunrise 
(2) use of the Aubrey holes to predict eclipses 
(3) alignment of the trilithons with the solstice 
sunrises and sunsets
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

12
QQ The term heliacal rising for an object (star 
or planet) refers to its 
AA S 1 (1) first appearance in the morning sky before 
sunrise after being close to the Sun 
(2) last appearance in the evening sky before 
disappearing near the Sun 
(3) rising with the Sun  
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

13
QQ The alignment of the passageway into Newgrange, 
together with the fact that human remains were found at
the end of that passageway, indicates that it was 
associated with rituals concerned with 
AA S 1 (1) death and rebirth/renewal
(2) planting and agriculture 
(3) warding off plague 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

14
QQ The central axis of the Coricancha was roughly, 
though not exactly, aligned with 
AA S 1 (1) June solstice sunrise
(2) December solstice sunrise 
(3) equinox sunrise and sunset 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

15
QQ The Inca ceque system in Cuzco had 
alignments that were defined for each ceque 
by 
AA S 1 (1) a number of huacas or shrines, 
some but not all astronomical, which did not lie 
precisely on a line 
(2) the Coricancha and a single stone column 
as backsight and foresight, respectively
(3) the Coricancha or the Ushnu together with 
a mountain peak at a large distance 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

16
QQ Planting was supposed to be done when the 
Sun passes through the antizenith according to 
the Inca.  How could this time be determined?
AA S 1 (1) from the Sun setting opposite the 
point on the horizon where it rose on the day 
it passed through the zenith
(2) by waiting six months after the Sun passed 
through the zenith 
(3) by observing sunlight reaching all the way 
to the bottom of a zenith tube 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA
 
17
QQ Which of the following is a superior planet?
AA S 1 (1) Mars
(2) Mercury
(3) Earth
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

18
QQ When Venus is at inferior conjunction it 
AA S 1 (1) is invisible 
(2) can be seen as an evening star
(3) can be seen as a morning star 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

19
QQ The interval between successive heliacal risings of a 
given planet is 
AA S 1 (1) that planet's synodic period  
(2) that planet's orbital (sidereal) period  
(3) one sidereal year
(4) NVA
(5) NVA 

20
QQ The structure at Uxmal that was called the 
"Palace of the Governor" has carvings that 
clearly establish that its alignment was not 
accidental but rather was quite intentional.  
That alignment was towards 
AA S 1 (1) southernmost rise of Venus, which 
planet was associated with the god Kukulcan
(2) major standstill northern moonrise
(3) winter solstice sunrise
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

21
QQ We know that the Maya understood the basic 
pattern associated with eclipses because 
AA S 1 (1) it appears in a table in the 
Dresden Codex
(2) the mathematics is worked out in the 
Codex Mendoza
(3) it is carved on a pyramid at Chichen 
Itza
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

22
QQ The Mayan agricultural calendar used a 
"year" of 
AA S 1 (1) 365 days
(2) 260 days
(3) 360 days
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

23
QQ Most of the alignments at the Bighorn 
Medicine Wheel, unlike those of Stonehenge, 
are 
AA S 1 (1) stellar
(2) solar 
(3) planetary 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

24
QQ The Soyal ceremony of the Hopi is a 
celebration of the new year (death and 
rebirth).  The time for this observance 
is marked by 
AA S 1 (1) winter solstice sunset 
(2) summer solstice sunrise
(3) full Moon after vernal equinox 
sunset 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

25
QQ Navigation by the stars as practiced by the 
Pacific Islanders took advantage of the fact that 
in the tropics 
AA S 1 (1) the stars rise and set straight up and down 
(2) the stars circle nearly parallel to the horizon
(3) the Sun can be directly overhead twice a year 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

26
QQ Intercalation of a thirteenth synodic month 
into the year based on signs such as the ripening 
of plants, migration of animals, or other such 
things is termed 
AA S 1 (1) empirical intercalation
(2) intercalation by rule 
(3) magical intercalation 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

27
QQ The time of the Nile flood at Memphis in 
ancient Egypt was found to coincide with 
AA S 1 (1) the heliacal rising of Sirius
(2) the winter solstice
(3) the heliacal rising of Venus
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

28
QQ The regular astronomical phenomena, such 
as the calendar and planetary cycles like 
the twelve-year Jupiter cycle, were supposed 
to be the responsibility of which branch of 
the Chinese astronomical bureau? 
AA S 1 (1) lifa
(2) tianwen
(3) hsiu
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

29
QQ The effect of atmospheric refraction on 
measurements of obliquity and latitude like 
those made by Guo Shoujing is an example of 
AA S 1 (1) systematic error
(2) accidental or random error 
(3) a way that the precision of such 
measurements can be improved by nature 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

30
QQ The first known star catalogue was compiled by 
AA S 1 (1) Shi Shen
(2) Guo Shoujing
(3) Hipparcos
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

31
QQ The Jupiter cycle recognized by the Chinese 
is the time interval 
AA S 1 (1) for the location of opposition on the celestial 
sphere to go completely around the sky
(2) between successive oppositions of Jupiter
(3) between successive conjunctions of Jupiter with the Moon
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

32
QQ The long measuring scale of Guo Shoujing's 
observatory, stretching out to the north of a 
masonry tower, was not (so far as is known) used 
to determine 
AA S 1 (1) the Moon's regression period 
(2) the length of the tropical year 
(3) the obliquity of the ecliptic 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

33
QQ The astronomical instrument called the 
gnomon is a 
AA S 1 (1) vertical stick or stone column 
(2) vertical shaft sunk in the ground 
(3) hand-held instrument for measuring the 
angular separation between objects 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

34
QQ The ascending node moves westwards around 
the ecliptic because of regression.  Since the 
Moon moves eastwards with respect to the stars, 
this means that the nodical month is 
AA S 1 (1) shorter than the sidereal month 
(2) longer than the sidereal month 
(3) the same as the sidereal month 
(4) NVA
(5) NVA

35
QQ The precision of an alignment 
AA S 1 (1) is greater when the baseline is 
longer 
(2) is greater when the baseline is shorter 
(3) doesn't depend in any way on the baseline
(4) NVA
(5) NVA