Study for the 1^st Astronomy Test!

1. What are the three basic standards for the SI unit system?  How are these standards related to the Earth?  What makes a good standard?

2. Study and memorize the following prefixes:  n, m, m, c, k, M, G.

3. Practice unit conversions:
a. 120 km = ? m           b. 1.3 mL = ? L            c. 48 ng = ? g               d. 2.8 Mm = ? m
e. 35 km/h = ? m/s        f. 3.4 cm/sec = ? m/min       g. 105 h/m² = ? s/cm²
h. 250 cm³ = ? L

4. Know the definitions of arc-minutes and arc-seconds and be able to convert back and forth from decimal degrees to degrees, minutes, and seconds.  Practice:
a. 0.60° = ?’    b. 30” = ?°       c. 1’ 15” = ?°         d. 1.2345° = ?° ?’ ?”

5. Be able to convert back and forth from degrees to radians.  Practice:
a. 1.00 rad = ?°      b. 1.00° = ? rad     c. 30.0° = ? rad      d. 3.14 rad = ?°

6. The speed of light is 3.00 x 10⁸ m/s.  (a) At this speed, what distance does light travel in 60.0 minutes?  (b) At this speed, what amount of time is required to travel from the Sun to Pluto, a distance of 6.00 x 10¹² m?

7. Study and know the following properties of triangles:  the sum of the three angles and the skinny triangle approximation relating the small angle to the ratio of the sides.

8. (a)A 20.0 m telephone pole at a distance of 500 m would have what angular size?
(b) A 2.00 m stop sign would have the same angular size as above at what distance?

9. At its nearest approach to Earth this last year Mars had an apparent angular diameter of 16.2”.  Given the actual diameter of Mars is 6780 km determine how close Mars was to the Earth at this time.

10. The Moon appears to move about 13° around in its orbit in 24 hours.  If the radius of this orbit is about 390 Mm, what distance has the Moon moved along an arc in this amount of time?

11. Be able to define latitude, longitude, equator, North Pole, South Pole and prime meridian.  Memorize the meaning and significance of important values:  lat. 0°, lat. 90°N, lat. 90°S, long. 0°, long. 180°E or 180°W.

12. Be able to define altitude, azimuth, horizon, zenith, and nadir.  Memorize the meaning and significance of important values:  alt. 0°, alt. 90°, alt. -90°, az. 0°, az. 90°, az. 180°, az. 270°

13. Use the star map to determine the altazimuth coordinates of the following stars and planets:  (a) Altair, (b) Moon, (c) Polaris, (d) Vega, (e) Uranus, (f) Capella.

14. Use the star map to determine what is located at the following altazimuth coordinates:  (a) constellation at the zenith, (b) star at 15°, 146°, (c) constellation at low altitude above eastern point on horizon.

1. meter, kilogram, second

2.

3. a. 1.2 × 10⁵ m
b. 1.3 × 10^-3 L
c. 4.8 × 10^-8 g
d. 2.8 × 10⁶ m
e. 9.7 m/s
f. 2.04 m/min
g. 37.8 s/cm²
h. 0.25 L

4. a. 36’
b. 0.0083°
c. 0.0208°
d. 1° 14’ 04”

5. a. 57.3°
b. 0.0175 rad
c. 0.524 rad
d. 180°

6. a. 1.08 × 10¹² m
b. 5.56 h

7.

8. a. 2.3°
b. 50 m

9. 86,300,000 km

10. 88 Mm

11.

12.

13. a. 62°, 198°
b. 9°, 77°
c. 36°, 1°
d. 68°, 285°
e. 34°, 138°
f. 2°, 30°

14. a. Cygnus
b. Fomalhaut
c. Pisces