To Infinity and Beyond

Adventures in Astrobiology
SETI Institute ASSET Program
Cathrine Prenot Fox

There is a great film that profiles recent Harvard Graduates and their misconceptions about what causes earth's seasons.  The majority of them very eloquently describe that the earth is closer to the sun during the summer... ...incorrectly.  Instead of extolling the virtues of my alma mater, as I can explain this scientific phenomena, I invite you instead to take a quiz to explore your own misconceptions about cosmic distances.  You can follow the link, or see below.  The answers follow.

1. Which of the following four diagrams most accurately depicts the shape of Earth's orbit around the Sun? 


2. Which of the following responses most closely explains why it is hotter in New York in June than it is in December?
A. The Sun gives off more heat energy in June.
B. Earth is closer to the Sun in June.
C. The Northern hemisphere is closer to the Sun in June.
D. The Sun is higher in the sky and provides more hours of daylight in June.

3. Put the following objects in the correct order, starting with the object that is closest to Earth and ending with the object that is farthest away. Circle one.
A. Moon, Sun, clouds, Pluto, stars
B. Clouds, stars, Moon, Sun, Pluto
C. Clouds, Moon, Sun, Pluto, stars
D. Clouds, Moon, Sun, stars, Pluto

4. Sometimes the Moon looks like this

And sometimes the Moon looks like this

What causes the Moon to change its appearance this way?
A. As the Moon orbits Earth, Earth's shadow covers the Moon.
B. Clouds block part of the Moon from our view.
C. As the Moon orbits around Earth, we see different views of the Moon's sunlit side.

5. Which of the following drawings most closely depicts the distance between Earth and the Moon? Circle one.

(Reprinted from here.  Great explanations of answers are also available from this site.)

Ready with your scratch paper?  The correct answer are:

A (42% of high school students answered this correctly out of a sample of 13,787), D (37% correct), C (64% correct), C (67% correct), and A (36% correct).  

Full disclosure: I did not get a gold star on this quiz.  Granted, my degree is in biology, and I have never taught astronomy, but still... ...it made me think that we all might need some education in cosmic distances.  

The moon is 240,000 miles from the earth, and the sun is 93,000,000 miles away!  As we get farther away from our solar system the distances are almost beyond comprehension.  They might seem like they are To Infinity and Beyond (cartoon citations 1, 2, and 3).

Adventures in Astrobiology.  Cathrine Prenot Fox, 2012.

Until our next adventure, 
Cat