THE SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
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70 Falmouth Street  Portland, Maine 04103
43.6667° N             70.2667° W
Founded January 1970
                 "Anyone can have a sumptuously furnished mind, provided one doesn't mind the heavy lifting."


THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Friday, May 27, 2016
Quiz: Another Astronomical T or F

The problem with Jeopardy formatted quizzes is that no choices are provided. A couple subscribers brought this issue to my attention.  So,  this week, we offer a quiz with two choices: true or false.    Unlike many such quizzes, we will not ask you for clarification each time you choose F.     Instead, each question requires either a T or F.  
We hope this format is more pleasing to subscribers, including dyspeptic uncles who complain all the time.

TRUE OR FALSE

1.  If Saturn didn't have rings, it wouldn't be visible to the naked eye.

2.  Orion's belt is in our sky for just about twelve hours a day every day of the year

3.  The Sun will explode as a supernova in about five billion years

4,  More than a century will elapse before the next transit of Venus

5.  Halley's Comet has already turned around and is now moving toward the inner solar system.

6.  We live within the Orion-Cygnus Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy.

7.   The closest star to the solar system, Alpha Centauri, is only visible in the southern hemisphere.

8.  Pluto has only completed half of one orbit since its discovery.

9.  A planet is generally brightest when it is at opposition

10. Jupiter is more massive than all the planets put together.


ANSWERS
1.  F
Saturn is brighter than it would be were it devoid of rings.  However, even when Saturn's rings are edge on and therefore not visible, we can still easily see Saturn with our unaided eye.

2. T
We don't always see Orion's belt for twelve hours each day because of its position relative to the Sun.  However, Orion's belt will be above the horizon for about twelve hours a day each day of the year.  Incidentally, if you're taking this quiz in the afternoon, Orion's belt is in the sky right now, but, of course, not visible.

3.  F
The Sun will exhaust its core hydrogen reserves in about five billion years and, consequently, will expand into a red giant.  However, the Sun isn't massive enough to ever explode as a supernova.   Eventually, it will cast its outer layers into space and become a planetary nebula.  It will leave a white dwarf remnant behind.

4. T
The next transit of Venus will occur on December 11, 2117, about 101.5 years from now.

5. F
Halley's Comet continues to move away the inner solar system.  It will reach its farthest point from the Sun (aphelion) in 2023 A.D., and will then lazily begin its return trek toward the inner solar system.  (It is due to arrive in 2061!)

6.  T
Next time someone asks for your address, you'll know what to say!

7.  F
Alpha Centauri is visible anywhere south of the latitude 30 degrees N.

8. F
Pluto has only completed about 34% of its orbit since its discovery.  Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930 and its orbital period is 248 Earth years!

9. T
A planet will be closest to Earth on or around the date of opposition, when the planet is on the far side of our planet relative to Earth.

10. F
If you put all the planets together, you have to include Jupiter!  (Yes, we've posted this trick question before.)