Sci-Five | The Hindu Science Quiz: on astronomical distances

Correct answers are highlighted in green. Click on the correct answer for further reading on the topic.

. What is an astronomical unit?

Distance between Sun and Earth

An AU is roughly 150 million or 15 crore km

Distance between Moon and Earth

An AU is roughly 150 million or 15 crore km

Difference between perigee and apogee

An AU is roughly 150 million or 15 crore km

Distance between Moon’s farthest and closest points from the Sun

An AU is roughly 150 million or 15 crore km

. Average distance between Moon and Earth is...

0.02 light minute

The Moon is an average of 3,84,400 km away from Earth, that is approximately 0.0214 light minute away

2 light minutes

The Moon is an average of 3,84,400 km away from Earth, that is approximately 0.0214 light minute away

1 light minute

The Moon is an average of 3,84,400 km away from Earth, that is approximately 0.0214 light minute away

4 light minutes

The Moon is an average of 3,84,400 km away from Earth, that is approximately 0.0214 light minute away

. Which is longer? Parsec or light year?

Parsec

One parsec is 3.26 light years

Light year

One parsec is 3.26 light years

None. Parsec is latin for light year

One parsec is 3.26 light years

Depends on perigee and apogee

One parsec is 3.26 light years

. Who is the first to use light year to measure astronomical distances?

Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel

In 1838, the German astronomer Bessel measured the distance between Earth and binary star 61 Cygni as 10.3 light-years

Jean-Dominique Cassini

In 1838, the German astronomer Bessel measured the distance between Earth and binary star 61 Cygni as 10.3 light-years

Eric Romer

In 1838, the German astronomer Bessel measured the distance between Earth and binary star 61 Cygni as 10.3 light-years

James Bradley

In 1838, the German astronomer Bessel measured the distance between Earth and binary star 61 Cygni as 10.3 light-years

. Astronomers use a phenomenon called redshift, marked by the parameter z, to indicate large distances. What distance does z=1 indicate?

A bit over 10 billion light years

A z value of 1 indicates that the distance from that object is 10.147 billion light years now. Redshift are useful to locate fast-moving galaxies of the ever-expanding universe

Around 10 billion parsecs

A z value of 1 indicates that the distance from that object is 10.147 billion light years now. Redshift are useful to locate fast-moving galaxies of the ever-expanding universe

About 13 billion km

A z value of 1 indicates that the distance from that object is 10.147 billion light years now. Redshift are useful to locate fast-moving galaxies of the ever-expanding universe

About 13 billion AUs

A z value of 1 indicates that the distance from that object is 10.147 billion light years now. Redshift are useful to locate fast-moving galaxies of the ever-expanding universe