during a total solar eclipse
A the photosphere is obscured.
B the moon is new.
C the moon's umbra touches the Earth.
D all of these.
if the moon gets exactly between the Earth and the sun, then somewhere on Earth there would be
A a total solar eclipse.
B a total lunar eclipse.
C an annular eclipse.
D either an annular eclipse or a total solar eclipse.
E either a partial or a total lunar eclipse.
for a solar or lunar eclipse to occur, which of the following must be true?
A the sun must be on the line of nodes.
B the moon must be on the line of nodes.
C the sun and the moon must be on the line of nodes.
D the sun and the moon must be near the line of nodes.
during a total lunar eclipse
A the moon must be new.
B the moon will glow coppery red.
C you must be in the path of totality.
D all of these.
total solar eclipses are important to astronomers because
A they are dramatic, spectacular events
B they allow us to see the dark side of the moon
C they allow us to see the corona surrounding the sun
D they provide good excuses to travel
total lunar eclipses always occur at the time
A of new moon.
B of full moon.
C of either equinox.
D of either solstice.
eclipses of the moon can only occur
A at new moon
B at full moon
C in the spring and fall seasons
D at Christmas time
two bodies are the same size but body a has a temperature of 3000 k and body b has a temperature of 6000 K. if they both radiate according to the Planck curve, which will have a red color?
A body a.
B body b.
C both body a and body b.
D neither body a nor body b.
when a solar eclipse occurs on Earth, assuming perfectly clear skies everywhere,
A everyone on Earth would be able to see it
B only those people for whom the sun was on their celestial meridian would s it
C only those on the night side of Earth would see it
D only those people within a specific area of Earth would see it
a lunar eclipse occurs
A only around sunset.
B only near midnight.
C only near sunrise.
D at any time of night.
E at any time of day or night.
an annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon is
A too far from the Earth
B too close to the Earth
C not quite on the line of nodes
D no choice
annular solar eclipses occur
A when the angular diameter of the moon is larger than that of the sun
B when the moon's umbra is too short to reach the Earth's surface
C every 365.2467 days
D when the moon is at its highest declination
at least one solar eclipse must occur at each eclipse season because
A the sun is so large
B the Earth moves less in one month than error range for an eclipse
C the moon is so close to the Earth
D no choice
an eclipse of the sun, can be either total or annular, because
A the moon has deep valleys on its surface
B the moon has a hole through its center
C the moon's orbit is inclined at several degrees to that of the Earth
D the moon's distance from Earth varies from eclipse to eclipse
Earth doesn't experience an eclipse of the sun every month because
A sometimes the moon is too far away.
B the moon always keeps its same side toward the Earth.
C the moon's orbit is not in the same plane as the Earth's orbit.
D you have to be in the right place to see a solar eclipse.
a total eclipse of the sun can be seen on Earth because
A the moon and sun move precisely along the ecliptic plane
B the physical sizes of sun and moon are almost the same
C the moon is cooler than the sun
D the angular sizes of sun and moon, when viewed from Earth, are almost the same
totality of a particular solar eclipse will be seen
A anywhere upon the surface of the Earth
B only within a narrow strip across the Earth's surface
C from anywhere on the sunlit hemisphere of the Earth
D only over a region of Earth within +/-10of the Earth's equator
a lunar eclipse is caused by
A the Earth moving into the moon's shadow
B the moon passing into the shadow of the Earth
C the moon passing behind the sun
D the moon passing through the point of greatest elongation
from the Earth, the sun's corona (the outer, extended but rarefied atmosphere of the sun) can be seen
A only with specially equipped telescopes
B only at sunsets with very stable air and a flat horizon
C only during a total solar eclipse
D any time the moon blocks off most of the direct light from the sun's surface
a solar eclipse occurs on Earth when
A the sun passes in front of the moon
B the moon passes behind the sun
C the Earth casts a shadow on the moon
D the moon passes in front of the sun
in order to have a total eclipse of the sun, the moon must be in what phase
A new moon
B full moon
C first quarter
D it can be in any phase, depending on which saros we are in
eclipses can only occur when both the sun and the moon are on or very near the
A vernal equinox
B celestial equator
C line of nodes
D perigee
in order for a solar eclipse to occur, the moon must be
A near new moon
B near first or last quarter
C high in the sky
D near full moon
eclipses do not occur each month because
A the moon is never in the ecliptic
B the Earth's axis is tilted to the ecliptic
C the moon's orbit is in the ecliptic
D the moon's orbit is not in the ecliptic
at a distance of the moon's orbit from the Earth, the Earth's shadow is
A extremely small, leaving only a narrow shadow band on the moon during eclipse
B almost exactly as wide as the moon
C considerably wider than the moon
D slightly less wide than the size of the moon
eclipses can only occur when
A the Earth is on the ecliptic plane
B the sun is on or close to the ecliptic plane
C the Earth is on the celestial equator
D the moon is close to or crossing the ecliptic plane
for an eclipse to occur, the line of nodes must point approximately to
A the Earth
B the moon
C the sun
D no choice
a total eclipse of the moon may occur only when the moon is
A new
B first-quarter
C third-quarter
D full
the umbra of the Earth is not totally black because of
A scattering of light by the Earth's atmosphere
B the large size of the sun relative to the Earth
C scattering of light by the moon
D no choice
eclipses are possible
A every month
B every 3 months
C every 6 months
D only once a year
the "eclipse year" is shorter than the sidereal year because
A the moon moves faster than the Earth
B the line of nodes regresses
C the Earth's axis precesses
D the moon's perigee advances
Return to Table of Contents