Summary Questions

These are the summary questions you will need to answer at the end of the semester about the observations you have made and logged throughout the semester. For detailed instructions on how to make your observations, see this page.

Please note the statements on that page regarding fabricated observations. For this part of the project, do not summarize or discuss observations you did not make. If you fabricate observations on this summary, the 20 point deduction from your project grade will apply.

You may find Chapters 2 and 3 of the textbook useful in answering these questions. You may also consult a Moon phase calendar to assist you in this part of the assignment.


1. Over the course of the semester the position of the sunset
(2 points)

    • (a) did not change.
    • (b) started South of due West and gradually moved North.
    • (c) started North of due West and gradually moved South.
    • (d) completed part of its 360 degree path around the horizon.
    • (e) Both b) and d).
    • (f) Both c) and d).

 

2. True or false: The sunset position crossed the position of due West at some point during the semester.
(2 points)

 

3. The date on which the event in the previous question occurred is (choose all that apply).
(2 points)

    • (a) The event did not occur.
    • (b) around September 22
    • (c) around March 20
    • (d) around June 21
    • (e) around December 21
    • (f) the summer solstice
    • (g) the vernal equinox
    • (h) the autumnal equinox
    • (i) the winter solstice

 

4. Enter the month of your last observation (1-12).
(1 point)

 

5. Enter the date of your last observation (1-31).
(1 point)

 

6. True or false: In 6 months from your last observation, the sunset will be North of due West.
(2 points)

 

7. Enter the number of degrees the sunset position will be in 6 months in the direction you gave for the previous question.
(2 points)

 

8. True or false: In one year from your last observation, the sunset will be North of due West.
(2 points)

 

9. Enter the number of degrees the sunset position will be in one year in the direction you gave for the previous question.
(2 points)

 

10. What will the Moon’s phase be in two weeks from your last observation?
(2 points)

    • (a) new
    • (b) waxing crescent
    • (c) 1st quarter
    • (d) waxing gibbous
    • (e) full
    • (f) waning gibbous
    • (g) 3rd quarter
    • (h) waning crescent

 

11. What will the Moon-Sun angular distance (or separation) in the sky be two weeks from your last observation?
(2 points)

    • (a) about 0 degrees
    • (b) between 0 and 90 degrees
    • (c) about 90 degrees
    • (d) between 90 and 180 degrees
    • (e) about 180 degrees

 

12. What will the Moon’s phase be in one month from your last observation?
(2 points)

    • (a) new
    • (b) waxing crescent
    • (c) 1st quarter
    • (d) waxing gibbous
    • (e) full
    • (f) waning gibbous
    • (g) 3rd quarter
    • (h) waning crescent

 

13. What will the Moon-Sun angular distance (or separation) in the sky be one month from your last observation?
(2 points)

    • (a) about 0 degrees
    • (b) between 0 and 90 degrees
    • (c) about 90 degrees
    • (d) between 90 and 180 degrees
    • (e) about 180 degrees

 

14. Choose one of your observation dates you did NOT see the Moon . Give the month here (1-12) *
(1 point)

*This should be a date you did not see the Moon because it was not up.
If there was an observation for which you did not log a Moon observation but you lost points because it was up in the sky at sunset, do not choose this date here. If you saw the Moon in all of your sunset observations, choose one date over the semester the Moon would not have been visible at sunset.

 

15. Give the day of the month for the date you chose in the previous question (1-31).
(1 point)

 

16. What was the Moon’s phase on the date you entered above?
(2 points)

    • (a) new
    • (b) waxing crescent
    • (c) 1st quarter
    • (d) waxing gibbous
    • (e) full
    • (f) waning gibbous
    • (g) 3rd quarter
    • (h) waning crescent

 

17. What was the Moon-Sun angular distance (or separation) on the date you entered above?
(2 points)

    • (a) about 0 degrees
    • (b) between 0 and 90 degrees
    • (c) about 90 degrees
    • (d) between 90 and 180 degrees
    • (e) about 180 degrees

 

18. What Moon phases are never visible at sunset? (Choose all that apply.)
(2 points)

    • (a) new
    • (b) waxing crescent
    • (c) 1st quarter
    • (d) waxing gibbous
    • (e) full
    • (f) waning gibbous
    • (g) 3rd quarter
    • (h) waning crescent
    • (i) None. All phases are in principle visible at sunset.

 

19. Explain your answer(s) to the previous question.
(3 points)

Submit your answers via the Blackboard form

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