ASTRONOMY QUIZ

Team members (Name/Hostel/Contact number) 1. 2.

SECTION A
1. Ancient astronomers used epicycles to explain: a) Planetary transits b) Moons phases c) Retrograde motion (2 points)

2. What is the average temperature of the universe? a) It depends on today's space weather b) About 3 Kelvin c) About 30 Kelvin d) About 300 Kelvin

(2 points)

3. The size of a quasar is roughly equal to that of: a) The Andromeda galaxy b) The Solar system c) The Sun

(2 points)

4. What was the first theory proposed to explain the origin of the solar system by Rene Descartes in 1644? (2 points) a) Condensation and contraction of a large vortex b) Passing star hypothesis c) Passing comet hypothesis

5. When our Sun dies, it will end up becoming a a) Black hole b) Neutron Star c) White dwarf d) Black dwarf

(2 points)

6. Choose the CORRECT statement about Venus Transits a) They occur as pairs separated by 8 years b) Most recent transit happened in 2008 c) Occur more frequently than Mercury transits

(2 points)

7. Why did Charles Messier prepare a list of deep sky objects? a) To classify galaxies and nebulae b) Calculate the shape of the universe c) Distinguish comets from deep sky objects

(2 points)

8. How long did it take for Curiosity the latest Mars rover launched by NASA to reach its destination? (2 points) a) Three weeks b) Three months c) Nine months d) Three years

9. Which of these did not receive a Nobel Prize? a) S. Chandrashekhar b) Robert Wilson c) William Herschel d) Edwin Hubble

(2 points)

10. What is the equation used to estimate the number of detectable civilisations in our galaxy? (3 points) a) SETI equation b) Drake equation c) Carl Sagan equation

11. Binary systems help astronomers to determine a) Mass of the stars b) Age of the stars c) Distance to the star

(2 points)

12. Who was the first to suggest a practical design for a reflecting telescope, in the publication Optika Promota? (2 points) a) Hans Lippershey b) Galileo Galilei c) James Gregory d) Isaac Newton

13. The Messier number of Krittika (the Pleiades star cluster) is a) M18 b) M42 c) M45 d) M67

(2 points)

14. Who was the first woman in space? a) Tatyana Kuznetsova b) Zhanna Yorkina c) Valentina Tereshkova

(2 points)

15. Which of these meteor showers can be observed in December? a) Lyrids b) Leonides c) Aquariides d) Geminides 16. According to the latest measurements, what is the shape of the Universe?

(2 points)

(3 marks)

17. Which three stars form the Summer triangle?

(3 points)

18. The same pattern of solar eclipses will repeat every 18 years 11 days 8 hours. This is known as the ______________________ cycle. (3 points)

19. How many Apollo astronauts have walked on the moon?

(3 points)

20. The H-R Diagram was created by

(3 points)

21. How far are the most distant objects we see in the Universe? Give your answer in light years. (3 points)

22. Which was the first planet onto which a probe was successfully launched?

(3 points)

23. This Greek astronomer was also a mathematician, geographer, poet, athlete and music theorist. He was the first to calculate the radius of the Earth, tilt of the Earths axis. He also invented the leap day. Who is this personality? (3 points)

24. Which of the following cant be observed by the Hubble Space Telescope? Also explain briefly why. (3 points) a) Pluto b) Mercury c) Earth

SECTION B
1. (5 points)

In order to study the dark side of the moon, astronomers want to send a satellite on the moon such that it is constantly overhead the dark side of the moon. Calculate the distance from the centre of the moon where the satellite should be situated so that the Earth, the Moon and the satellite are always in the same relative position. Me = Mass of the Earth Mm = Mass of the Moon D = Earth-Moon distance You can assume that the mass of the Moon is much smaller as compared to the Earth and also that the mass of the satellite is negligible compared to both the Moon and the Earth.

Can there be more such stable points?

2. Mira is a pulsating star. Its radius and temperature both vary as it pulsates, with its temperature being highest when its radius is smallest. Its range of radius is 330-400 solar radii, and its range of temperature is 2900-3200 K. What is the luminosity difference, in solar units, between the brightest and dimmest points in Miras pulsation cycle? (8 points)

3. A radio image of quasar 3C175 made by the Very Large Array at the Radio frequency of 4.9GHz is shown below. a) The Active Galactic Nucleus is seen at point A in the image below. What process causes the formation of such a bright nucleus? b) What is the most plausible explanation as to why there is only one jet observed from the nucleus, seen at point B, while there are two radio lobes? (15 points)

4. You must have observed that spiral galaxies and planetary systems are always planar. Surely, it is not a coincidence. Give a possible explanation for this fact. You need not necessarily be correct. A good attempt will be given partial credit. (15 points)