The Solar System - Questions
Q1. Sun will appear at same latitude: a) Once a year b) Twice a year c) Once a day
Q2. Seasons are due to the: a) Earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun b) inclination of the polar axis
with the ecliptic plane c) Earth's rotation on its polar axis
Q3. At what approximate date is the earth furthest from the sun (aphelion)? a) Beginning of January
b) End of December c) Beginning of July
Q4. At what approximate date is the earth closest to the sun (perihelion)? a) End of June b)
Beginning of July c) Beginning of January
Q5. What is the highest latitude listed below at which the sun will reach an altitude of 90° above the
horizon at some time during the year? a) 23° b) 45° c) 66°
Q6. Which is the highest latitude listed below at which the sun will rise above the horizon and set
every day? a) 72° b) 68° c) 66°
Q7. The angle between the plane of the ecliptic and the plane of equator is approximately: a) 66.5°
b) 23.5° c) 27.5°
Q8. In its path around the Sun, the axis of the Earth has an inclination: a) of 66° 33′ with the plane
of the path b) varying between zero and 23° 27′ with the plane of the path c) varying with the
season of the year
Q9. The mean sun: a) Is only of interest to users of astronomical navigation b) Moves with constant
speed along the celestial equator c) Is the middle position of the sun
Q10. The direction of the Earth’s rotation on its axis is such that: a) Observed from the point above
the North Pole, the rotation is counter-clockwise b) Any point on the surface of the Earth will move
eastward c) Any point on the surface of the Earth will move westward
Q11. When the length of the day is measured with reference to the passage of the apparent sun: a)
The length of the day will be the same once every month b) The length of the day will vary with the
latitude of the observer c) The length of the day will vary in the course of the year
Q12. All heavenly bodies rise: a) In the East b) In the West c) Some in the East and some in the
West depending upon the hemisphere
Q13. The term Aphelion is used to describe: a) The relative position between the earth and the
moon b) The situation when the distance between the sun and the earth is at its longest c) The
relationship between the length of the day and the length of the night
Q14. Civil twilight is defined by: a) Sun altitude is 18° below the celestial horizon b) Sun altitude is
12° below the celestial horizon c) Sun altitude is 6° below the celestial horizon
Q15. The duration of civil twilight is the time: a) Needed by the sun to move from the apparent
height of 0° to the apparent height of 6° b) Between sunset and when the centre of the sun is 12°
below the true horizon c) Between sunset and when the centre of the sun is 6° below the true
horizon
Q16. Atmospheric refraction: a) Causes the sunrise to occur earlier and the sunset to occur later b)
Causes the sunrise and the sunset to occur earlier c) Causes the sunrise to occur later and the
sunset to occur earlier
Q17. The times given for sunrise, sunset, morning and evening twilight in the air almanac: a) Are
given in UTC b) Are given in standard time c) Are given in LMT
Q18. Civil twilight is defined by: a) Sun upper edge tangential to horizon b) Sun altitude is 6° below
the celestial horizon c) Sun altitude is 18° below the celestial horizon
Q19. What is the reason for seasonal changes in climate? a) Because the Earth’s spin axis is
inclined to the plane of its orbit round the Sun b) Because the distance between the Earth and the
Sun varies over a year c) Because the Earth’s orbital speed round the sun varies according to the
time of the year
Q20. The main reason that day and night, throughout the year, have different duration, is due to
the: a) Relative speed of the sun along the ecliptic b) Inclination of the ecliptic to the equator c)
Earth’s rotation