THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
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Altitude:  10 feet below sea level
Founded January 1970
Julian Date: 2458866.16
2019-2020:  LXXXVII
                'Heavens on the half shell."

THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Friday, January 17, 2020
Quiz XVIII:  Astronomical/Mythological True or False

We know that the once conjoined topics of astronomy and mythology have long
since gone their separate ways.  While astronomy soared to the very limits
of the physical universe, mythology remained stubbornly Earthbound,
sumptuously furnishing our sky with every possible imaginative
ornamentation.      Today, we forget their lamentable, but necessary,
divorce and combine them again into a 10 question T or F quiz. Naturally,
we'll focus on celestial mythology, which still mixes well with astronomy.

TRUE OR FALSE

1.  Mars will next transit the Sun in December 2117

2.  Hercules slew the Minotaur in a Cretan labyrinth

3.   The Southern Cross is only visible in the Southern Hemisphere

4.  Delphinus the Dolphin saved Arion from a band of pirates

5.  The Sun has enough helium in its core to sustain itself for five
billion years.

6.  Cassiopeia the Queen's boast that she was more beautiful than the
Nereids incurred Poseidon's implacable hatred. As a punishment he released
Cetus the Seamonster to destroy her village.

7.  The largest known asteroid, Ceres, was also the first asteroid
discovered.

8.  Cancer the Crab joined Hydra the Water Snake in its battle with Hercules

9.  The golf ball Apollo astronaut Alan Shepherd hit on the moon is likely
still in a low orbit around it.

10. Jason and the Argonauts embarked on a quest to capture the golden fleece





ANSWERS

1.  Mars will next transit the Sun in December 2117
FALSE!
Mars cannot transit the Sun from our perspective.  Only the planets closer
to the Sun than Earth can appear to move directly across it.   Venus will
next transit the Sun in December 2117.   Mercury will next transit the Sun
in November 2032 (although eastern US observers won't see that transit.)

2.  Hercules slew the Minotaur in a Cretan labyrinth
FALSE!
Theseus slew the Minotaur in a Cretan labyrinth.   Theseus was inspired to
his heroic acts by learning of Hercules' own daring exploits, however.

3.   The Southern Cross is only visible in the Southern Hemisphere
FALSE!
While the Southern Cross, aka Crux, is best seen in the Southern
Hemisphere, it is actually visible at any location south of the 30th North
Parallel.  So, observers in Florida and Hawaii, to cite two examples, can
see this cross.  Granted, at these locations, the Southern Cross will be
quite low along the southern horizon.

4.  Delphinus the Dolphin saved Arion from a band of pirates
TRUE!
The jewel box constellation that is now about to set with the Sun
represents Delphinus the dolphin who saved the musician Arion from a band
of pirates who wanted the gold he won in a Sicilian musical contest.
When the pirates surrounded him on the ship on which he was scheduled to
return home, Arion persuaded them to let me perform once more on his lyre.
Roughnecks though they were, they all loved his music and agreed.   Arion's
music summoned the dolphin Delphinus to side of the ship.   Arion quickly
tossed himself overboard and Delphinus then spirited him away to safety.

5.  The Sun has enough helium in its core to sustain itself for five
billion years.
FALSE!
The Sun is currently fusing hydrogen in its core to produce helium and in
the process generate energy.  The Sun contains enough hydrogen in to
sustain these reactions for another five billion years.


6.  Cassiopeia the Queen's boast that she was more beautiful than the
Nereids incurred Poseidon's implacable hatred. As a punishment he released
Cetus the Seamonster to destroy her village.
FALSE!
Cassiopeia boasted that her daughter Andromeda was more beautiful than the
Nereids.  This arrogant remark induced the sea god Poseidon to send Cetus
to her village.

7.  The largest known asteroid, Ceres, was also the first asteroid
discovered.
TRUE!
Ceres, the largest known asteroid in the solar system, was the first
asteroid discovered. Giuseppe Piazzi discovered Ceres on Jan 1, 1801, the
very first day of the 19th century.

8.  Cancer the Crab joined Hydra the Water Snake in its battle with Hercules
TRUE!
Although, Cancer didn't do particularly well.     When Hera, Hercules'
fiercest enemy, noticed that Hercules was embroiled in a fierce battle with
Hydra, she deployed Cancer to join the fight. Almost as soon as Cancer
arrived, Hercules stomped on it, killing it immediately.


9.  The golf ball Apollo astronaut Alan Shepherd hit on the moon is likely
still in a low orbit around it.
FALSE!
Yes, Alan Shepherd struck a golf ball on the moon and it traveled a fair
distance, perhaps more than two miles. Yet, it did not go into orbit around
the moon.

10. Jason and the Argonauts embarked on a quest to capture the golden fleece
TRUE!
I'd say more but, ha ha ha ha, it's almost noon time!




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