Name ________________________ Date ________________

Focus On Middle School Astronomy, Chapter 7

Quiz for Chapter 7, Middle School Astronomy (20 questions, 10 points each, 200 points total)

1. The name of the triple-star system closest to our solar system is ________. (10 points)
Lalande 21185
Barnard's Star
the Alpha Centauri system
Wolf 359

2. Exoplanets are not classified according to Jupiter-like or Earth-like characteristics.

(10 points)
True
False

3. Identify which three stars are in a triple-star system, are bound together by gravity, and
orbit each other. (10 points)
Proxima Centauri
Alpha Centauri B
Barnard's Star
Wolf 359
Alpha Centauri A
LaLande 21185

4. The very active star, VY CMa, ___________. (10 points)

emits large amounts of gas during stellar outbursts
dwarfs our Sun by several magnitudes
is considered a red hypergiant star
all of the above

5. Modern astronomers still use the names of constellations to discuss star positions.
(10 points)
True
False

6. Constellations are patterns of stars ancient astronomers named after mythological heroes or
animals. (10 points)
 True
False

7. The Circumstellar Habitable Zone is the area of a solar system where an Earth-like planet
would be at the right temperature to be suited for life as we know it. (10 points)
True
False

8. Canis Major, "The Big Dog," is in the Alpha Centauri system and is our nearest stellar
neighbor. (10 points)
True
False

9. Stellar distances are not extremely large, so astronomers measure these distances in
parsecs. (10 points)
True
False

10. The star, Sirius, is 20 times brighter than our Sun and over twice as large. (10 points)
True
False

11. Extrasolar planets are planets that orbit stars outside our solar system. (10 points)
True
False

12. The name of the largest star visible in the night sky is __________. (10 points)
VY Canis Majoris
Orion
Lalande 21185
Sirius

13. A super-Earth is an exoplanet that has a mass of up to ____________ that of Earth.

(10 points)
50 times
100 times
10 times
250 times

14. The stars that appear brightest and largest from Earth are not the closest stars. (10 points)
 True
False

15. A group of seven stars known as the "Big Dipper" in North America was known by the
ancient Greeks as ____________. (10 points)
""The Big Dog"
"The Great Bear"
"The Plough"
"The Stag"

16. Match the name of each star with the number of parsecs it is from Earth, (10 points)

_____ Lalande 21185 a. 2.4 parsecs from Earth

b. 1.4 parsecs from Earth
_____ Barnard's Star c. 1.1 parsecs from Earth

_____ Wolf 359

17. Place the stars in order from nearest to farthest from our Sun. (10 points)

_____ Lalande 21185

_____ Proxima Centauri

_____ Barnard's Star

_____ Sirius

_____ VY Canis Majoris

_____ Alpha Centauri A and Alpha Centauri B

_____ Wolf 359

18. Sirius has a secondary star associated with is called Sirius B which is just as bright as Sirius.
(10 points)
True
False

19. One parsec is equal to __________. (10 points)

260 AUs
2,602,062 AUs
20,263 AUs
206,260 AUs
20. Proxima Centauri is the star in the Alpha Centauri system that is farthest from Earth.
(10 points)
True
False
 Answer Sheet

Focus On Middle School Astronomy, Chapter 7

Quiz for Chapter 7, Middle School Astronomy (20 questions, 10 points each, 200 points total)

1. the Alpha Centauri system

2. False

3. Proxima Centauri, Alpha Centauri B, Alpha Centauri A

4. all of the above

5. True

6. True

7. True

8. False

9. False

10. True

11. True

12. VY Canis Majoris

13. 10 times

14. True

15. "The Great Bear"

16. b, c, a

17. 4, 1, 3, 6, 7, 2, 5

18. False

19. 206,260 AUs

20. False