MCQ Flashcards
7 cards from real ASP practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 MCQ flashcards as text
Which type of telescope uses a parabolic mirror as its primary optical element?
Answer: Reflector
Reflector telescopes use a parabolic primary mirror to focus incoming light without chromatic aberration.
What is the approximate distance from Earth to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri?
Answer: 4.2 light-years
Alpha Centauri is approximately 4.2 light-years from Earth, making it the closest stellar system to our solar system.
Which layer of the Sun is responsible for the sunspots visible from Earth?
Answer: Photosphere
Sunspots appear on the photosphere, the visible surface layer of the Sun, as cooler, magnetically active regions.
What does the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram primarily plot?
Answer: Luminosity vs. temperature
The H-R diagram plots stellar luminosity on the y-axis against surface temperature (or spectral class) on the x-axis.
Which phenomenon causes a star's spectral lines to shift toward longer wavelengths when it moves away from us?
Answer: Redshift
Redshift occurs when a source moves away from the observer, stretching light waves to longer (redder) wavelengths due to the Doppler effect.
What is the main sequence on the H-R diagram?
Answer: A band of stars fusing hydrogen in their cores
Main sequence stars are in the stable phase of hydrogen fusion in their cores, forming a diagonal band on the H-R diagram.
What is the term for the point in Earth's orbit when it is closest to the Sun?
Answer: Perihelion
Perihelion is the point in Earth's elliptical orbit where it is nearest to the Sun, occurring around January 3rd each year.