Practice Test

Please solve the following questions. This is not a real exam, it will not be graded, and you do not need to submit your solutions to anyone. The questions are simply intended to help you practice for the real exam.

These questions will not appear in the exam itself. Students who don't genuinely attempt to solve the questions on their own, and only memorize the solutions, will have a very hard time in the actual exam!

This sample exam is online, but the real exam will be given in person, at a time and place indicated on the course website.

THIS IS NOT THE ACTUAL EXAM!
THIS IS JUST A PRACTICE EXAM!
THE REAL EXAM IS IN PERSON!

If you need any clarifications for these questions, you can ask for them on the course Teams channel.

Question 1

I am in the south pole. What is directly above me?

The south celestial pole.
The celestial equator.
The north celestial pole.

Question 2

When was stellar parallax first measured successfully?

By Friedrich Bessel, in 1838.
By the Babylonians, around 4,000 years ago.
By the ancient Greeks, around 2,000 years ago.

Question 3

What is Occam's razor?

The principle that says simpler theories have more predictive value than complex ones, and therefore should be preferred.
The principle that says complex theories have more predictive value than simpler ones, and therefore should be preferred.
The principle that says simpler theories are easier to understand than complex ones, and therefore should be preferred.

Question 4

What is special about the constellations of the zodiac?

They allow astrologers to produce reliable horoscopes.
The stars in these constellations are closer to Earth compared to those in other constellations.
They are the constellations that the Sun appear to pass through over the course of a year.

Question 5

One full rotation of the Earth around its axis corresponds to...

A day.
A year.
A month.

Question 6

The Greeks believed that the Earth was at the center of the universe...

Because they did not observe stellar parallax.
Because they observed stellar parallax.
Because they did not know about stellar parallax.

Question 7

Which of the following is a reliable source of information about astronomy?

The website for the James Webb Space Telescope, a space telescope operated by NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, and the European Space Agency.
Any YouTube channel that has "astronomy" in the title.
Social media posts.

Question 8

Which planet's orbits are larger than the Earth's orbit?

Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
Mercury and Venus.
Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.

Question 9

Astrology is...

A science, which means it uses the scientific method to test the validity of hypotheses.
A science, which means it is based on theories that are proven to be 100% correct and can never be disputed.
A pseudo-science, which means it claims to be a science but does not use the scientific method to test the validity of hypotheses.

Question 10

Are lab experiments a very important aspect of astronomy?

No.
They used to be in ancient times, but not anymore.
Yes.

Question 11

Two scientists have published competing hypotheses. Since they contradict each other, only one can be correct. How will we determine which hypothesis is correct?

The hypothesis that is easier to understand is the correct one.
The hypothesis whose predictions have been verified in experiments is the correct one.
The hypothesis from the scientist with a PhD from the more prestigious university is the correct one.

Question 12

Which of the following numbers is the smallest?

2 × 10⁷
4 × 10⁵
5 × 10⁶

Question 13

A radio message was sent in 2150 from Earth to the distant planet Epsilon Eridani b, approximately 10 light-years away. When will the message get to the other planet? (Remember: radio waves travel at the speed of light.)

In the year 2150.
In the year 2158.
In the year 2160.

Question 14

In science, what is a hypothesis?

An idea that has not yet been tested.
An idea that is 100% correct and will never be replaced.
An idea that has been rigorously tested and is correct to the best of our current knowledge.

Question 15

"All my friends believe in astrology. Clearly, it must be true!" This is an example of...

The correlation implies causation fallacy.
The appeal to popularity fallacy.
The appeal to tradition fallacy.

Question 16

The Big Dipper is...

A planet.
An asterism.
A constellation.

Question 17

I am located 20 degrees north of the equator and 40 degrees west of the Prime Meridian. What are my coordinates?

Latitude 20° W, longitude 40° N.
Latitude 20° N, longitude 40° W.
Latitude 40° S, longitude 20° E.

Question 18

What is the Local Group?

A cluster of galaxies that the Milky Way belongs to.
A cluster of stars that the Sun belongs to.
A cluster of galaxies located near the Milky Way.

Question 19

A celestial object which can produce its own light is...

Either a star or a planet.
A planet.
A star.

Question 20

What was Ptolemy's important text on astrology?

Enuma Anu Enlil.
The Tetrabiblos.
Almagest.

Question 21

What did Carlson's 1985 astrology experiment prove?

That astrologers cannot correctly predict a person's personality test results given the person's time and place of birth.
That astrologers can correctly predict a person's personality test results given the person's time and place of birth.
That astrologers cannot correctly predict a person's time and place of birth given the person's personality test results.

Question 22

The orbits of the planets in Ptolemy's model are...

Epicycles.
Squares.
Ellipses.

Question 23

When a planet is in retrograde...

It looks to us like it's moving backwards in its orbit, but actually it's still moving forward.
It looks to us like it's still moving forward in its orbit, but actually it's moving backwards.
You should avoid any big investments.

Question 24

What is the Barnum effect?

The cognitive bias that makes people think a horoscope describes them individually, while in fact it is intentionally vague enough to describe anyone.
The effect that produces astrological predictions.
The astrological phenomenon that ensures the horoscope actually describes each individual person accurately.

Question 25

Ptolemy's model...

Is still used by astronomers today due to its accuracy.
Is still used by astronomers today due to its simplicity.
Is not used by astronomers today due to its inaccuracy.