Astro Nommy
"It's Not a Phase, Mom!"
Moon Bounce
Sun/Moon/Earth Interactions
Meteorology
100
Cosmic background radiation in the observable universe is evidence that this event occurred. (Hint: It's in the name of a scientific theory in the astronomy and geology communities.)
What is the Big Bang?
100
This is the number of unique phases of the moon that humans observe.
What is 8?
100
True or False: There are multiple theories as to how the Earth's Moon was formed or attained.
What is True?
100
True or False: The Earth and the Moon both rotate clockwise in their respective orbits, when viewed from their North Poles.
What is False?
[They both rotate counterclockwise as viewed from the North Pole.]
100
These are the characteristics of an mT air mass.
What are warm and moist?
200
Our Solar System aligns with a heliocentric model. This is what "heliocentric" means.
What is something like "the Sun is the center of this system?"
200
This is the phase of the moon that happens directly before a full moon.
What is a waxing Gibbous moon?
[Half-credit for just "waxing" or just "Gibbous."]
200
True or False: The Earth and the Moon both revolve clockwise in their respective orbits.
What is False?
[They both revolve counterclockwise in their orbits.]
200
When the moon blocks the view of the Sun as seen on Earth, we experience this phenomenon that shouldn't be directly stared at without protection.
What is a solar eclipse?
200
Of the following diagrams, which one represents a warm front?
What is the second choice?
300
The Coriolis Effect and Foucault's Pendulum are proof of this phenomenon in our galaxy.
What is Earth's rotation?
300
This is the last phase of the moon in a lunar cycle before we start over again with a new moon.
What is a waning crescent moon?
[Half-credit for just "waning" or just "crescent."]
300
This is why the first time it looks like we have a "half moon" in the lunar cycle, we call it a first quarter moon.
What is "because we are a quarter of the way through the lunar cycle" (or something like that)?
300
This is why the Sun's gravitational pull does not completely overwhelm or overshadow the Moon's effect on tides.
What is something akin to "the Sun is too far away?"
OR What is "the Sun is much further away than the Moon?"
300
Winds in North America, due to the jet stream, tend to travel from the ____________ to the ___________. (Think compass directions.)
What is from the west [W] to(ward) the east.
400
If an object is hurdling towards you, the visible light spectrum of that object will shift toward this color.
What is blue?
(Half-credit given to "violet")
400
This is the lunar phase that must be taking place during a lunar eclipse.
What is a full moon?
400
This is when the Moon is farthest apart from the Earth in its orbit. (Hint: Not looking for a phase of the Moon.)
What is apogee?
400
When the Sun, Moon, and Earth form a right angle, with Earth at the point, that is when this phenomenon occurs on the surface of the Earth.
What are neap tides?
400
Gases always move from areas of ___________ to areas of ____________, resulting in wind.
What is (areas of) high pressure to (areas of) low pressure?
500
Proof that the universe is expanding is the fact that most stars detectably experience this phenomenon within the Doppler Effect.
What is red-shift?
500
This is the lunar phase that must be taking place during a solar eclipse.
What is a new moon?
500
This is the reason eclipses don't happen every 1-2 months.
What is something along the lines of "the Moon's orbit is not on the same plane as the Earth's orbit?"
OR "The moon's path is tilted by a few degrees?"
500
This is when spring tides occur. (Hint: It's not only in the springtime.)
What is when the Sun, Moon, and Earth are all aligned?
OR What is during a new moon or full moon?
500
These are five characteristics of a low pressure system.
What are any 5 of the following?
Rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, air converges inward and upwards, general warm weather, generally cloudy/stormy, precipitation, NOT clear, NOT calm
[Partial credit allowed]