ASP MCQ 2

Question 1

Which type of telescope uses a parabolic mirror as its primary optical element?

Accepted Answer

Reflector

Answer

Reflector telescopes use a parabolic primary mirror to focus incoming light without chromatic aberration.

Question 2

What is the approximate distance from Earth to the nearest star system, Alpha Centauri?

Accepted Answer

4.2 light-years

Answer

Alpha Centauri is approximately 4.2 light-years from Earth, making it the closest stellar system to our solar system.

Question 3

Which layer of the Sun is responsible for the sunspots visible from Earth?

Accepted Answer

Photosphere

Answer

Sunspots appear on the photosphere, the visible surface layer of the Sun, as cooler, magnetically active regions.

Question 4

What does the Hertzsprung-Russell (H-R) diagram primarily plot?

Accepted Answer

Luminosity vs. temperature

Answer

The H-R diagram plots stellar luminosity on the y-axis against surface temperature (or spectral class) on the x-axis.

Question 5

Which phenomenon causes a star's spectral lines to shift toward longer wavelengths when it moves away from us?

Accepted Answer

Redshift

Answer

Redshift occurs when a source moves away from the observer, stretching light waves to longer (redder) wavelengths due to the Doppler effect.

ASP - Astronomical Society of the Pacific Exam Practice Test