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AST 3043 exam 2
a
62
Astronomy
Undergraduate 2
10/25/2013

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Term
the concept of music of the spheres was associated wiht the school of
Definition
Pythagoras
Term
So far as we know the first of the greeks to consider the universe as capable of being understood using reason was
Definition
Thales
Term
The hippopede was introduced by which of the folowing to represent retorgrade motion
Definition
Eudoxus
Term
According to Aristotles philosophy, the region of the universe where the natural motion of everything is vertical (up for light elements, down for heavy elements) is the
Definition
sublunary
Term
Which of the following was not one of Aristotles arguments for the earths being spherical
Definition
the argument of parallax
Term
Meteors are a phenomenon in the upper level of earths atmosphere according to aristotle because
Definition
they change, whereas everything in the superlunary region is immutable
Term
the relative distances of the sun and moon (essentially the ratio of those distances) were first estimated from observations by
Definition
Aristarchus
Term
The idea that the daily motion of sun, moon planets and fixed stars is caused by the earths rotation was suggested by
Definition
heraclides
Term
Eratosthenes is noteworthy for having
Definition
first determined, rather accurately, the earths circumference
Term
Eratosthenes is noteworthy for having
Definition
first determined, rather accurately, the Earths circumference
Term
Precession, with all its effects on star positions, was first discovered by
Definition
Hipparchus
Term
The first reasonably close value for the moons geocentric parallax (and the first distance of a celestial body) was obtained by
Definition
Hipparchus
Term
In the simplified Earth-centered epicyclic system we discussed in class, the deferent for a superior planet is identical in size to
Definition
that planets orbit around the sun
Term
In the modern way of reckoning (with respect to the fixed stars), an inferior planets period of revolution around its epicycle is
Definition
its sidereal period
Term
The work that contained Ptolemys detailed mathematical models for the planets (including the sun and moon) was the
Definition
matematike, The almagest
Term
ptolemy introduced the equant in order to better represent the variable motion in longitude. it became the most controversial feature of his system because
Definition
It violated the principle of uniform cicular motion
Term
The term that applies to the thin crescent moon that marks the beginning of the month in the islamic calendar is
Definition
hilal
Term
trepidation, a supposed oscillation of the equinoxes around their average positions in addition to the steady westwards motion of precession, was introduced by
Definition
Thabit ibn Qrra
Term
Which of the following was the first incoporated in a zij by al-Battani
Definition
advance of the solar apogee
Term
The Maragha observatory produced which of the following zijs
Definition
ilkhaniv tables
Term
who was the person responsible for production of the only star catalogue of the islamic period which used newly-measured star positions instead of rehasing Ptolemys
Definition
Ulugh Beg
Term
Who was the author of the university textbook on astronomy entitled Theory of the Planets
Definition
an anonymous author
Term
The alfonsine tables, which became the standard planetary tables in use in Europe for several centuries until after the time of Copernicus were supposedly produced in what is the modern country of
Definition
Spain
Term
The first extensice (that is, over several decades) European series of high quality astronomical observations was carried out by
Definition
Bernhard Walther
Term
Copernicus was dissatifsfied with the Ptolemaic system primairly because
Definition
the equant violated the principle of uniform circular motion
Term
which of the following statements about Copernicus work is not correct
Definition
his models were much simpler than the ptolemaic ones
Term
Rhetifus was the person who
Definition
persuaded copernicus to write on the revolutions
Term
The significance of Tychos measurements of the new star of 1572 at that time was that
Definition
they showed that aristotle was wrong about the superlunary region never changing
Term
Kepler first law of planetary motion states that
Definition
a planets orbit is an ellipse with the sun at one focus
Term
the size of an elliptical orbit is given by its
Definition
semimajor axis
Term
which of the following of keplers works presented for the first time his first two laws of planetary motion
Definition
New Astronomy
Term
The first set of planetary tables that was based on an essentially correct theory of the planets orbital motions was the
Definition
Rudolphine Tables
Term
The instrument that could be used for directly measuring the equatorial coordinates of a star or planet was the
Definition
equatorial armillary
Term
The approximate date of ptolemy is
Definition
150 ad
Term
the approximate date of copernicus is
Definition
1540
Term
Which of the following statements about astrology during the islamic period is true
Definition
it was acceptable as a part of medical practice
Term
Which of the following scholars was not associated with the house of wisdom in baghdad
Definition
al-Battani
Term
which of the following motions was definitely first suggested by thabit ibn Qrra Tobit
Definition
trepidation
Term
which of the folloing zijes was noteworthy because it included a compilation of observational data on conjunctions and eclipses
Definition
Hakemite tables
Term
Which of the following first proposed the heliocentric theory
Definition
Aristarchus
Term
Magnitudes were introduced by Hipparchus to categorize which of the following for stars
Definition
apparent brightness
Term
Precession was discovered by which of the following
Definition
Hipparchus
Term
Ptolemys detailed planetary modles were published in which of his works
Definition
matematike syntaxis= mathematical compilation
Term
In the simplified geocentric model we covered in lecture, the epicycle for an inferior planet is
Definition
that planets orbit around the sun
Term
ptolemys reason for introducing the equant into his models was to better represent the
Definition
variableitude motion in long
Term
the term hilal refers to which of the following
Definition
the new moon
Term
which of the following was not associated wiht the house of wisdom in baghdad
Definition
al-Battani=Albategnius
Term
The advance of the suns apogee seems to have been first introduced into planetary tables by
Definition
al-Battani=Albategnius
Term
the book of the fixed stars with new magnitudes for some stars in place of ptolemys was the work of
Definition
Abd al-Rahamn al-Sufi
Term
The so called Maragha school of planetary theory was established at the observatory of that name by
Definition
Al tusi
Term
Ibn al-Shatir was able to get rid of the equant using what device instead
Definition
the secondary epicycle
Term
the only star catalogue to be published during the islamic period with positions that were newly measured was produced at which observatory
Definition
Samarkand
Term
The theory of the planets was a university text on astonomy written by
Definition
an anonymous author
Term
the instrument that was used either to measure the angular separation between two objects in the sky or to measure an objects altitude was the
Definition
cross-staff
Term
Copernicus estimated the average distance of a superior planet from the sun in au by using
Definition
trig with the angle calculated at its time of quadrature using orbital periods
Term
the person responsible for getting Copernicus to write up his researches on planetary models was
Definition
rheticus
Term
the greeks first estimated the earths circumference by
Definition
finding the difference in the suns zenith distance between two cities separated by a known north-south distance
Term
the advance of the suns apogee seems to have been first introduced into planetary tables by
Definition
al-Battani
Term
The new theory of the planets was a university text on astonomy written by
Definition
Georg Peurbach
Term
The real significance of Copernicus book on the revolutions was that it
Definition
reintroduced the idea of a heliocentric universe and presented arguments for it
Term
Tycho Brahe didnt accept the Copernican system because
Definition
he believed it would mean that the stars are ridiculously large
Term
Keplers New Astronomy was the book which first presented
Definition
his first two laws of planetary motion
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