Orbital mechanics/Saros/Quiz 1

< Orbital mechanics < Saros

This quiz pertains to Antikythera mechanism and is one of
THREE RELATED QUIZ GROUPS: Saros   Ecliptic   Antikythera

Testbank contains links to a printable pdf version of this quiz for classroom use. For information on how to print out test copies (and other questions) see How to use testbank.

See also Ecliptic/Quizzes and Orbital mechanics/Saros.

Saros quiz 1 (basic)

Point added for a correct answer:   
Points for a wrong answer:
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1. Saros (or Sar) was the Babylonian word for the Saros cycle.

true
false

2. While the Babylonians invented what we call the Saros cycle, they did not call it by that name.

true
false

3. Suppose that you see a full moon, but no eclipse. You can be certain that a full moon will also occur exactly one Saros later.

true
false

4. The name "saros" (Greek: σαρος) was first given to the eclipse cycle by

an unknown Babylonian
Hipparchus (Greek astronomer: 190 BC-120 BC)
Edmond Halley (A friend and colleage of Newton: 1656 AD-1742 AD)
Ptolemy (Greek astronomer who lived in Egypt: 90 AD-168 AD)

5. The Saros cycle is 18 years plus either 10.321 or 11.321 days. The reason for the variable number of days has to do with

leap years
precession of the equinoxes
precession of the Moon's orbit
a wobble in the Moon's orbit

6. If an eclipse occurs, a simlar eclipse will occur at the next Saros(roughly 18 years later). At this eclipse, the ______ will be the same. (Pick the best answer.)

day of the month
time of day
season of the year

7. What is so special about 3 Saros cycles (triple Saros)?

this eclipse will occur at the same time of day
this eclipse terminates the Saros (and a new Saros number is assigned.)
this eclipse will occur at the same day of the month (plus or minus one day)
this eclipse will occur with the Moon in the same position on the zodiac.

8. What remains nearly the same after a single saros cycle has occured?

phase of moon and earth-moon distance
phase of moon and position of moon relative to the background stars (i.e. zodiacal location)
phase of moon and position of sun relative to background stars (i.e. zodiacal location)

9. Your pet lizard is thirsty every 3 days and hungry every 5 days. If she is both thirsty and hungry today, she will be both thirsty and hungry ____ days later

15
5
8
30

10. Your best friend's pet lizard is thirsty every 2 days, hungry every 3 days, and frisky every 5 days. If she is thirsty, hungry, and frisky today, whe will be thirsty, hungry, and frisky _____ days later

10
30
15
40

11. Between any given eclipse and the one that occurs one Saros (roughly 18 years) later, there will be approximately ________ lunar and solar eclipses.

40
1
2
10
20

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