20090208

Astronomy quiz question: time for constellation zenith-to-set motion

Astronomy 210 Quiz 1, Spring Semester 2009
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

[4.0 points.] Cygnus is at the zenith (directly overhead), as seen by an observer at 12 AM (midnight) in San Luis Obispo, CA. (Ignore the fact that your starwheel does not include daylight savings time.) How many hours will pass until this constellation completely sets below the horizon?
(A) 3 hours.
(B) 6 hours.
(C) 9 hours.
(D) (This constellation is circumpolar, and will never set.)

Section 30676
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 20 students
(C) : 42 students
(D) : 4 students

Correct answer: (C)*

Using a starwheel for the lower 48 states (San Luis Obispo, CA), stars that are at the zenith will set 9 hours later.

"Difficulty level": 66% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 1.00

*Corrected from a comment by a student.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

P-Dog I am confused y your answer. You state the correct answer is D, but then in the essay portion you note that Cygnus would set 9hrs later.