Stargazing

Stargazing

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This task is about how the night sky changes during the night.

Question

a)  On fine nights the Southern Cross can be seen clearly.
     When viewed early in the evening it looks like this:
 
southern cross
Source:  NASA
     But when seen at around 3 or 4 a.m. the same night, it looks like this:
 
southern cross
Source:  NASA
     Why does the Southern Cross look different later in the night?

    • The stars go around in a huge circle in the night sky.

    • Stars revolve around each other in the universe.

    • Stars move with the Earth as it turns.

    • The Earth turns on its axis every 24 hours.

Question

b)  Antares is a prominent red star in the constellation Scorpio.
     Its colour indicates that, compared with the Sun which is a yellow star, it is ...

    • larger

    • smaller

    • hotter

    • cooler

    • more distant

Task administration: 
This task can be completed with pencil and paper or online.
Level:
5
Curriculum info: 
Science, Knowledge, Planet Earth
Keywords: 
astronomical systems, night sky, stars, southern cross, Earth's rotation
Description of task: 
Students answer two multiple-choice questions about star movement during an evening and star colour and temperature.
Curriculum Links: 
 
 
 
Answers/responses: 
 

Y10 (12/1997)
a) D - The Earth turns on its axis every 24 hours. easy
b) D - cooler moderate
Diagnostic and formative information: 
   

Common error

b)

Option C (hotter) chosen by 32% of students.