Vocabulary
The measurement that shows how high something is in the sky.
Altitude
Your friend tells you to look at a thing in the distance. You don't know where to look. You ask your friend to specify by telling you two things about the object's position. What are those two things?
How high is it? (altitude)
Which direction is it? (azimuth)
What azimuth angle represents due north?
0°
Why do planets seem to move quicker than stars do to us?
Because they are way closer to us than stars are.
What is the name of the imaginary "sphere of sky" that surrounds Earth?
Celestial sphere
The name given to the compass direction when we are trying to locate the position of an object in the sky.
Azimuth
A student wrote these two measurements for an object they found in the sky, what's the mistake here?
Measurements:
Azimuth: 74⁰
Altitude: 93⁰
The altitude can't exceed 90⁰. The altitude is wrong.
What azimuth value represents west?
270°
Which objects in the sky appear stationary, but actually move very very very slowly over vastly long periods of time?
Stars
What imaginary line crosses the celestial sphere?
Celestial equator
The highest point that is directly overhead.
Zenith
You are told to look at 254° azimuth, which of the four compass directions (N, S, E, W) are you closest to facing towards?
West
What azimuth value represents east?
90°
Which objects move noticeably in days or weeks in the sky when observed from Earth?
Planets
What are the names of the two equinoxes?
Vernal and autumnal
What is the name of the path that the Sun follows in the sky?
The ecliptic
When you look at a star in the sky, it appears to be stationary (not moving). Only when viewed over extremely long periods of time can some stars be seen to move very slightly. Why is this?
Because stars are very, very far away from us.
What direction are you facing at 180° azimuth?
South
Why do planets seem to move quicker than stars do to us?
Distance, they are very very far away.
The word "Planet" comes from this old Greek word.
"Wanderer"
What is the shortest day in the year called?
The Winter Solstice
You are giving a test about the history of astronomy. One of the questions read: "Who suggested that planets move in ellipses rather than circles?". What's the answer?
Kepler
In which direction does the azimuth number increase?
Clockwise
What marks the Sun’s northernmost position?
Summer Solstice
What orbit shape did Kepler propose?
Ellipse (Oval)