20130221

Astronomy quiz question: Tycho's observations

Astronomy 210 Quiz 2, spring semester 2013
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Tycho made observations that:
(A) Earth could not be the center of motion in the universe.
(B) disproved the heavens were perfect and unchanging.
(C) heavenly objects move on circular paths at constant speeds.
(D) Venus goes through a full set of phases.

Correct answer: (B)

Tycho Brahe used parallax to determine the distance of celestial objects. He observed the sudden appearance and dimming of a new star (supernova SN 1572) that had zero parallax, which he interpreted as being located in the heavenly sphere of stars, which refuted Aristotle's first principle argument that the heavens were perfect and unchanging.

Section 30676
Exam code: quiz02Sl1v
(A) : 14 students
(B) : 19 students
(C) : 3 students
(D) : 6 students

Success level: 49% (including partial credit for multiple-choice)
Discrimination index (Aubrecht & Aubrecht, 1983): 0.64

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