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

When was stellar parallax first measured successfully?

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

Question 2

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

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

Question 3

Which supercluster does the Milky Way belong to?

The Pisces Supercluster.
The Virgo Supercluster.
The Leo Supercluster.

Question 4

Which of the following numbers is the smallest?

9 × 10⁴
5 × 10⁶
4 × 10⁵

Question 5

Astrology is...

A science, which means it is based on theories that are proven to be 100% correct and can never be disputed.
A science, which means it uses the scientific method to test the validity of hypotheses.
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 6

In science, what is a theory?

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

Question 7

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

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

Question 8

The Big Dipper is...

A planet.
An asterism.
A constellation.

Question 9

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

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

Question 10

A radio message was sent in 2150 from Earth to the distant planet Wolf 359 c, approximately 8 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 11

What is the Barnum effect?

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

Question 12

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

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

Question 13

"Last year, when Mars was in retrograde, I broke my arm. Clearly, there must be a connection!" This is an example of...

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

Question 14

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

A month.
A year.
A day.

Question 15

Ptolemy's geocentric model lacked predictive value because...

It was only able to explain the motions of the planets, but not the motions of the Sun and the Moon.
It was only able to explain the complicated motions of the planets using an equally complicated model.
It was only able to explain the complicated motions of the planets using a simple model.

Question 16

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 17

Ptolemy's model...

Accurately described the structure of the solar system in Ptolemy's time, but this structure has changed since then.
Accurately describes the structure of the solar system.
Does not accurately describe the structure of the solar system.

Question 18

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

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

Question 19

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

Ellipses.
Squares.
Epicycles.

Question 20

What did Dean and Kelly's 2003 review of 40 astrology experiments conclude?

The astrology can accurately predict an individual's personality traits, but only if that person believes in astrology.
The astrology can accurately predict an individual's personality traits.
The astrology cannot accurately predict an individual's personality traits.

Question 21

Are lab experiments a very important aspect of astronomy?

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

Question 22

When a planet is in retrograde...

The Earth is passing by it and temporarily moving faster than it.
You should not start any new relationships.
It is moving backwards in its orbit.

Question 23

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

Question 24

How many constellations does the Sun appear to pass through over the course of a year?

13
12
24

Question 25

What was the ancient Babylonian text on astrology called?

Enuma Anu Enlil.
Almagest.
The Tetrabiblos.