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Quiz about Cecilia Helena PayneGaposchkin

Cecilia Helena Payne-Gaposchkin Quiz

Cecilia Helena Payne-Gaposchkin is another female astronomer that is relatively unknown. Take this quiz to learn about her contributions.

A multiple-choice quiz by almach. Estimated time: 3 mins.

Author
almach

Time
3 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
254,096

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Average

Avg Score
7 / 10

Plays
221

Awards
Top 10% Quiz

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. In what country was Cecilia Payne born? Hint

United States

Sweden

Canada

England

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Question 2 of 10

2. Cecilia Payne was awarded a degree at Cambridge upon the completion of her studies.

True

False

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Question 3 of 10

3. What "first" did Cecilia Payne accomplish in 1925 at Harvard Observatory? Hint

Earned a PhD. in Astronomy.

Earned a degree in Physics.

First woman to work there.

Did not accomplish anything there.

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Question 4 of 10

4. Cecilia Payne was the first woman to complete a graduate program at the Harvard College Observatory.

True

False

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Question 5 of 10

5. Cecilia Payne met her husband, Serge Gaposchkin, in 1934. What was his profession? Hint

Architect

Astronomer

Doctor of medicine

Dentist

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Question 6 of 10

6. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin spent her entire (United States) academic career at Harvard and then Princeton.

True

False

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Question 7 of 10

7. In Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's thesis on "Stellar Atmospheres", what did she develop? Hint

a temperature scale for stars.

magnitude scale for stars.

a classification system of stars.

the composition of our sun.

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Question 8 of 10

8. What position was Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin given at Harvard in 1938? Hint

Astronomer

Professor

Director

Manager

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Question 9 of 10

9. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin won which of the following awards in 1934? Hint

Rittenhouse Medal

Henry Norris Russel Prize

Award of Merit

Annie Jump Cannon Award

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Question 10 of 10

10. Does Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin have an asteroid named after her?

Yes

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. In what country was Cecilia Payne born?

Answer: England

Cecilia was born in Wendover, England on May 10, 1900. She became interested in astronomy after hearing a lecture at Cambridge about an expedition to Brazil for viewing a solar eclipse.

2. Cecilia Payne was awarded a degree at Cambridge upon the completion of her studies.

Answer: False

Cambridge (England) did not award degrees to women at that time. Cecilia came to the United States since she felt she would be more accepted in the field of astronomy then women were in England.

3. What "first" did Cecilia Payne accomplish in 1925 at Harvard Observatory?

Answer: Earned a PhD. in Astronomy.

She was the first man or woman to accomplish this at Harvard. Her thesis on "Stellar Atmospheres" (in 1925), earned her this degree. Otto Struve said it was the best thesis ever written on astronomy.

4. Cecilia Payne was the first woman to complete a graduate program at the Harvard College Observatory.

Answer: False

Adelaide Ames was first in 1922, Cecilia was second, in 1923. Adelaide Ames, along with Harlow Shapley, published a catalogue of 1,246 bright galaxies in 1932.

5. Cecilia Payne met her husband, Serge Gaposchkin, in 1934. What was his profession?

Answer: Astronomer

Cecilia met Serge while she was touring through Europe in 1933. They married and she helped him to get a visa to the USA. They had three children.

6. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin spent her entire (United States) academic career at Harvard and then Princeton.

Answer: False

Cecilia's United States academic career was spent at Harvard. Besides her academics, she published several books including "Stellar Atmospheres" (1925), "Variable Stars" (1938) and "Galactic Novae" (1957).

7. In Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin's thesis on "Stellar Atmospheres", what did she develop?

Answer: a temperature scale for stars.

She discovered that hydrogen and helium are the two most abundant elements in the universe. Her temperature scale matched up with the classification of stars developed by Annie Jump Cannon.

8. What position was Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin given at Harvard in 1938?

Answer: Astronomer

Many years later, in 1956, she became the first tenured professor.

9. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin won which of the following awards in 1934?

Answer: Annie Jump Cannon Award

She won all of the awards listed. The Award of Merit from Radcliffe College in 1952. The Rittenhouse Medal in 1961 for outstanding achievement in astronomy. The Henry Norris Russell Prize in 1976 for outstanding achievement in astronomical research.

10. Does Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin have an asteroid named after her?

Answer: Yes

2039 Payne-Gaposchkin is her asteroid. The names of asteroids are always preceded by a number, which is used only once. Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin died on December 7, 1979.

Source: Author almach

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor DakotaNorth before going online.
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