THE USM SOUTHWORTH PLANETARIUM
207-780-4249 www.usm.maine.edu/planet
70 Falmouth Street Portland, Maine 04103
43.6667° N 70.2667° W
Altitude: 10 feet below sea level
Altitude: 10 feet below sea level
Founded January 1970
Julian date: 2458541.35
2018-19: CV "Always listen to the quiet poetry of the glacially deposited boulder."
THE DAILY ASTRONOMER
Friday, March 1, 2019
Friday, March 1, 2019
Quiz XXII: Newfoundland
Astronomy people are often so enamored of the beauties above the skies, they tend to ignore the gorgeous planet on which they're standing. Even a casual observer will become quickly bedazzled by the variegated beauties of our verdant Earth. Perhaps fewer places in the world can rival the sheer loveliness of Newfoundland, the major island that is part of Canada's easternmost province of Newfoundland and Labrador. [Yes, so, ok, I actually haven't been there, but, well, I know the inhabitants are probably beautiful.] Today's quiz will be one of many future quizzes that focus on a different region of our world.
1. What is Newfoundland's largest city?
a. Saint John
b. Saint Joan
c. St. John's
d. Saint Bernard
2. The Island of Newfoundland is Canada's fourth largest island! Where does it rank globally?
a. the largest island (Yes, that would be a bit of a trick, wouldn't it?)
b. 10th largest
c. 16th largest
d. 24th largest
3. Newfoundland Island is separated from the Labrador Peninsula by what body of water?
a. Atlantic Ocean
b. Pacific Ocean
c. The Gulf of St. Lawrence
d. The Strait of Belle Isle
4 Leif Eriksson, an Icelandic Viking, arrived in what is now Newfoundland in around what year?
a. 1000
b. 1104
c. 1187
d. 1212
5. The first European settlers in Newfoundland referred to their settlement as Terra Nova. What is the English translation of this name? (No choices for this one.)
6. The very first inhabitants of Newfoundland were believed to have been part of the Paleo-Eskimo (or Dorset) culture. Around when did they arrive according to the most recent archaeological evidence?
a. 10,000 years ago
b. 8,000 years ago
c. 4,000 years ago
d. 2,500 years ago
7. If you were to visit the Cabox on Newfoundland Island, what would you be seeing?
a. the island's highest point
b. the island's deepest valley
c. a Viking burial ground
d. a place where sheep align themselves along Earth's magnetic field lines
8. The central coordinate of Newfoundland Island places it at 49 degrees North. What is true about its night sky relative to that we see here in Northern New England?
a. It is precisely the same
b. Polaris would be higher in a Newfoundlander's sky, but he/she would not see the southernmost part of Scorpius the Scorpion
c. A Newfoundlander wouldn't see Orion's knee stars, Rigel and Saiph
d. We don't see all of the Northern Cross. A Newfoundlander does.
9. Cape Spear is noteworthy for being what?
a. the region of the highest tides in the world
b. the easternmost point of North America
c. the first known European settlement on both of the American continents.
d. none of the above
10. What is the population of the capital city?
a. 65,000
b. 110,000
c. 156,000
d. 200,000
ANSWERS
ANSWERS
1. c. St. John's
By heavens, it's confusing, isn't it? Saint John is a city in a New Brunswick, but St. John's is the largest city in Newfoundland. Now, it is time to take the Canadians to task for that practice! Having the largest cities of two provinces sharing such similar names is really perplexing and disorienting! You don't see that in America, do you?! Just an opinion from Edward...in Portland....
2. c. 16th largest
With an area of 42,030 square miles, it ranks just below Luzon (Philippines) and just above Cuba. (Newfoundland Island is actually larger than Iceland.)
3. c. The Gulf of St. Lawrence
4. a. 1000
5. "New Land."
6. c. 4,000 years ago
7. a. the island's highest point
The Cabox is a mountain in Western Newfoundland. With an altitude of 2,664 feet, it is the island's highest point. The Cabox is part of the Lewis Hills of the Long Range Mountains, which are part of the Appalachians.
8. b. Polaris would be higher in a Newfoundlander's sky, but he/she would not see the southernmost part of Scorpius the Scorpion
9. b. the easternmost point of North America
10. d. 200,000
Yes, significantly larger than Portland!