Astronomy Astronomy Celestial Mechanics and Orbits 2

Question 1

What causes a solar eclipse?

Accepted Answer

The Moon passes between Earth and the Sun, blocking sunlight

Answer

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun, blocking all or part of the Sun's light from reaching Earth.

Question 2

What is tidal locking?

Accepted Answer

When a moon's rotational period equals its orbital period, keeping one face toward the planet

Answer

Tidal locking occurs when tidal forces slow a moon's rotation until it matches its orbital period, causing the same hemisphere to always face the parent planet.

Question 3

What is the Hill sphere of a planet?

Accepted Answer

The region within which the planet's gravity dominates over the Sun's gravity

Answer

The Hill sphere is the region around a planet within which its gravitational influence dominates over that of the Sun, determining the stable zone for moons.

Question 4

What type of orbit does a geostationary satellite occupy?

Accepted Answer

A circular equatorial orbit at ~35,786 km altitude

Answer

A geostationary orbit is a circular orbit at 35,786 km altitude above Earth's equator where a satellite's orbital period matches Earth's rotation, keeping it stationary over one location.

Question 5

What is the Roche limit?

Accepted Answer

The minimum distance at which tidal forces will break apart a body held together only by gravity

Answer

The Roche limit is the distance at which tidal forces from a massive body exceed the self-gravity of a smaller body, causing it to disintegrate.

Astronomy Practice Test

Astronomy Practice Test

Astronomy Astronomy Celestial Mechanics and Orbits 2