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Interesting Questions, Facts, and Information

    Stars

    In which constellation can Alpha Centauri be found?Stars and Constellations

      Centaurus. Although it is the dimmest of the three-star system, Alpha Centauri C is often called Proxima Centauri because, at 4.3 lightyears, it is the closest star to the Solar System.

    What constellation is the King?Stars and Constellations

      Cepheus. Cetus is the Whale, and Bootes is the Herdsman. And Elvis is dead! :o)

    Which is brighter (in apparent magnitude): Vega or Deneb?Stars and Constellations

      Vega. Vega's apparent magnitude is .03 and Deneb's is 1.25. (But in absolute magnitude, Deneb is much brighter.)

    What constellation is Procyon in?Stars and Constellations

      Canis Minor. Procyon has an apparent magnitude of .38 and an absolute magnitude of 2.6.

    Regulus is in what constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Leo. Regulus is Leo the Lion's foot. It has an absolute magnitude of -0.3 and an apparent magnitude of 1.35.

    What is the closest number to the Sun's APPARENT magnitude?Stars and Constellations

      -27. The apparent magnitude is how bright the star seems to us. The lower the number, the brighter it is. (Note: a star with an apparent magnitude of 437 is waaaaaaaaaay too dim to be seen.)

    Other than the Sun, Sirius is the brightest star in our sky. Which is the second brightest to Sirius?Stars And Constellations III

      Canopus.

    Which constellation contains the star Vega?Stars And Constellations III

      Lyra. Vega is in Lyra, the Lyre (a sort of harp). If the earth lasts as long as 10,000 years, the star Vega will then become the new North Star!

    The translation of 'Cetus' is what?Stars And Constellations III

      The Whale. Cetus is the sea {monster;} or whale.

    Which constellation contains the Big Dipper?Stars And Constellations III

      Ursa Major.

    If you follow the 'pointers' of the Big Dipper upward, you find Polaris (the North Star). What constellation do you see if you follow the pointers the other way?Stars And Constellations III

      Leo.

    Which constellation is 'the Queen'?Stars And Constellations III

      Cassiopeia.

    What astronomer coined the phrase 'binary star'?Binary Stars

      Sir William Herschel. Herschel, discoverer of the planet Uranus and first to posit our galaxy's spiral shape, used the term in an 1802 paper, 'On the Construction of the Universe.' Here's hoping this quiz has helped you construct YOUR vision of the universe.

    Observations of a visual double must record two characteristics: the angle orientation of the secondary with respect to the primary, and ... what?Binary Stars

      angular separation between the two stars. We observe stars from one point in the galaxy - Earth. (Interstellar distances are so vast that our planet can be treated as a single point.) Thus, we aren't in a position to measure linear distances - but we CAN measure the apparent separation in the arc of the sky. This is called angular measure and the basic unit is the degree, although the separations are so small that we mostly use arcminutes (a sixtieth of a degree) and arcseconds (a sixtieth of an arcminute).

    In ancient times, the Persian and Roman armies tested their soldiers' eyesight by seeing whether they could distinguish the two stars in what well-known 'pair', now understood to be gravitationally unrelated?Binary Stars

      Alcor and Mizar. Although Alcor and Mizar are not a binary pair, each of those 'stars' is actually a binary star system in itself.

    Of the four main types of binary stars, which can be 'resolved' into its separate components through a telescope?Binary Stars

      visual. Through a telescope of sufficient magnification, visual binaries appear as multiple points of light - they are 'resolved' into the correct image. Eclipsing binaries are oriented such that, from our perspective, one star passes in front of the other during the course of its orbit. These are detected by changes in brightness. Spectroscopic binaries are too close to be resolved by a telescope, and are detected by changes in their spectra - analyses of their light output.

    Of the four main types of binary stars, which is detected by 'wobbles' in a point of light's motion across the sky?Binary Stars

      astrometric. A star's apparent motion across the sky is called its 'proper motion,' and is determined by its distance from Earth, among other things. Single stars seem to travel in a straight line, but the orbital motion of binary stars causes them to 'wobble' in their motion.

    Aldebaran is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Taurus. Aldebaran is another red giant star about 68 light years distant.

    Betelgeuse is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Orion. Betelgeuse is another red giant star.

    Arcturus is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Bootes. Arcturus is a relatively nearby star at 36 light years away.

    Antares is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Scorpius. Antares is a Red Giant, over 500 light years away from us.

    Capella is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Auriga. Capella is about 45 light years away and is the closest of the brightest stars to the (North) Pole.

    Deneb is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Cygnus. Deneb is a Supergiant star, some 1600 light years away. Deneb along with Vega and Altair form the Summer Triangle.

    Canopus is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Carina. Canopus is the second brightest star in our night sky, it is about 100 light years away.

    Altair is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Aquila. Altair is about 16 light years away.

    Vega is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Lyra. Vega is the brightest star in Lyra. It is about 25 light years away.

    Sirius is in what Constellation?Stars and Constellations

      Canis Major. Sirius is the brightest star in our night sky. It is about 8 light years away.

    Algedi is in what Constellation?Double Stars

      Capricornus. The Goat Star. This is a wide double optical star. Another words, they are not physically connected.

    Rigel is in what Constellation?Double Stars

      Orion. Rigel is a very bright supergiant with a luminosity of 57,000 suns. And you can still see its companion in a medium sized scope!

    Zuben Elgenubi is in what Constellation?Double Stars

      Libra. Pronounce that again please! This is a very wide double star in Libra.

    Albireo is in what Constellation?Double Stars

      Cygnus. Albireo is a wider pair than Almach. The stars are a gold primary and a blue secondary (just like Almach).

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