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Quiz about History of Astronomy Part 1
Quiz about History of Astronomy Part 1

History of Astronomy - Part 1 Trivia Quiz

Greetings fans of the night sky. Within this quiz we shall observe the very foundations of the astronomical science from the beginning of history to approximately 500 B.C. I wish you luck!

A multiple-choice quiz by thejazzkickazz. Estimated time: 7 mins.
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Author
thejazzkickazz
Time
7 mins
Type
Multiple Choice
Quiz #
139,252
Updated
Dec 03 21
# Qns
10
Difficulty
Very Difficult
Avg Score
4 / 10
Plays
3259
Awards
Top 20% Quiz
- -
Question 1 of 10
1. Astronomy could very well be mankind's oldest science, though it is unsure when the very inquisitive phase of this science began. A number of ancient civilizations lay claim base on archaeological records for being the first scientific astronomers. As far back as the fifth millennium B.C., Europeans were building megalithic structures that were possibly used for astronomical observation. In what modern country can the ancient megaliths of Carnac be found? Hint


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Question 2 of 10
2. The Dresden Codex is a record of another civilization's early attempts to make sense of the sky above us. With which ancient civilization is this document associated? Hint


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Question 3 of 10
3. Egypt is another ancient civilization that may lay claim as having the earliest serious astronomers. It was the Egyptians who first established the 24-hour day and 365-day calendar year.


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Question 4 of 10
4. Of course we cannot forget about the Chinese when discussing ancient astronomy. The Chinese have the distinction of being the first civilization to record which of the following events in 2136 B.C.? Hint


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Question 5 of 10
5. Which ancient civilization of Mesopotamia is credited with establishing the collection of star signs that we call the zodiac? Hint


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Question 6 of 10
6. We now turn to the Greeks, who began seriously inquiring about the nature of the cosmos during the 6th century B.C. Greek science was ushered in by Thales of Miletus, a philosopher/scientist who was said to have predicted a solar eclipse in which seminal year for astronomy? Hint


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Question 7 of 10
7. Anaximander, also of Miletus, was a pupil of Thales who traveled extensively in Babylon and Egypt. He is credited with having returned from abroad with the idea for which of these devices related to the heavens? Hint


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Question 8 of 10
8. Though Thales was a well-established man of science and philosophy, he did not understand the nature of the Earth, believing it to be a disk shaped object floating on water. Around 500 B.C. the Earth was first proposed to be spherical in nature. This assertion is associated with which Greek philosopher/mathematician (or his followers)?
Hint


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Question 9 of 10
9. Which ancient thinker from Tenedos is associated with bringing the solar calendar and the zodiac to the Greek world from Mesopotamia? Hint


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Question 10 of 10
10. Another early claimant for having identified the Earth as a sphere was Parmenides of Elea, who is much better known for his philosophical output. Which of the following was also an astronomical claim to fame for Parmenides? Hint



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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts
1. Astronomy could very well be mankind's oldest science, though it is unsure when the very inquisitive phase of this science began. A number of ancient civilizations lay claim base on archaeological records for being the first scientific astronomers. As far back as the fifth millennium B.C., Europeans were building megalithic structures that were possibly used for astronomical observation. In what modern country can the ancient megaliths of Carnac be found?

Answer: France

 It is believed that the menhirs (large, carved stone blocks) at Carnac were arranged in such a way that they were aligned with objects in the sky. The same can be said for the monoliths at Stonehenge in England, among many others. However, the true nature of these objects may never be known.
2. The Dresden Codex is a record of another civilization's early attempts to make sense of the sky above us. With which ancient civilization is this document associated?

Answer: Mayan

 There is some archaeological evidence to suggest that the Mayans were the first people to seriously examine the night sky. The Dresden Codex includes solar eclipse tables, and observations of comets, the planets and other night sky events. In addition, it sets out the Mayan calendar.
3. Egypt is another ancient civilization that may lay claim as having the earliest serious astronomers. It was the Egyptians who first established the 24-hour day and 365-day calendar year.

Answer: true

Prior to 4,000 B.C. the Egyptians employed a lunar calendar, much like the other ancient civilizations. However, this calendar proved unsatisfactory, particularly when attempting to predict the flooding season of the Nile. Based on the appearance in the night sky of 36 different stars called 'decans', the Egyptians fashioned a fairly accurate calendar that proved much more useful for agricultural purposes.

The 24-hour day was also established by employing the stars in the night sky. Like the monoliths in Europe, the Pyramids were also aligned in such a way as to make possible certain astronomical observations.
4. Of course we cannot forget about the Chinese when discussing ancient astronomy. The Chinese have the distinction of being the first civilization to record which of the following events in 2136 B.C.?

Answer: Solar eclipse

 The Chinese were probably the first to have recorded several astronomical events, including the first observed comet and the first observed supernova. There are claims that the Chinese observed the first comet in 2296 B.C., but this is possibly apocryphal. There is no doubt, however, that the Chinese were among the first careful observers of the sky.
5. Which ancient civilization of Mesopotamia is credited with establishing the collection of star signs that we call the zodiac?

Answer: Chaldeans

 The Chaldeans, who commanded Babylon for a period during ancient times, were some of the greatest ancient scientists. They advanced upon the Egyptian calendar system, establishing the current system which we use wherein 60 seconds equals a minute, and 60 minutes an hour. They also developed the zodiac (Gr., circle of animals) that we use today, though the names of the signs were different.
6. We now turn to the Greeks, who began seriously inquiring about the nature of the cosmos during the 6th century B.C. Greek science was ushered in by Thales of Miletus, a philosopher/scientist who was said to have predicted a solar eclipse in which seminal year for astronomy?

Answer: 585 B.C.

 Thales traveled extensively to both Babylon and Egypt, and probably borrowed well-established methods of calculating solar eclipse events from those civilizations. His accurate prediction helped establish Thales as a well-respected man of science, and his pupils furthered his inquiry into mathematics, physics and the heavens.
7. Anaximander, also of Miletus, was a pupil of Thales who traveled extensively in Babylon and Egypt. He is credited with having returned from abroad with the idea for which of these devices related to the heavens?

Answer: Sundial

 Like his mentor, Thales, Anaximander sojourned to both Babylon and Egypt. He profited from his journeys through his 'discovery' of the gnomen, the upright piece on a sundial that makes it possible to determine specifically the movement of the sun. Anaximander made attempts to measure the distance from Earth to the sun and the moon, and to measure the relative sizes of these objects. However, his calculations were far from accurate.
8. Though Thales was a well-established man of science and philosophy, he did not understand the nature of the Earth, believing it to be a disk shaped object floating on water. Around 500 B.C. the Earth was first proposed to be spherical in nature. This assertion is associated with which Greek philosopher/mathematician (or his followers)?

Answer: Pythagoras

 The Pythagoreans are typically awarded the distinction of being the first thinkers to have accepted the idea that Earth is spherical in nature, and everything that this idea entails. However, the Pythagoreans did not suggest that the Earth revolved around the sun; this would have to wait for a later date.
9. Which ancient thinker from Tenedos is associated with bringing the solar calendar and the zodiac to the Greek world from Mesopotamia?

Answer: Cleostratus

 Cleostratus is a lesser-known figure of ancient Greek science, possibly because he did not make innovations in any of the sciences, but was merely the transporter of knowledge from Babylonia. He was active around 520 B.C., another traveler to the Fertile Crescent (notice a trend here?)
10. Another early claimant for having identified the Earth as a sphere was Parmenides of Elea, who is much better known for his philosophical output. Which of the following was also an astronomical claim to fame for Parmenides?

Answer: Recognized that the 'morning star' (Venus) was also the 'evening star'

 Parmenides was a brilliant observer of nature, and hence some of his astronomical observations were surprisingly acute. He not only made the connection with Venus and its morning and evening variants, but also made the observation that the moon merely reflected sunlight, rather than having its own source of illumination. Parmenides also asserted that the Earth was spherical, though probably at later date than Pythagoras. Thank you for playing this quiz. The next quiz in this series explores the further advances of Greek astronomy; see you there!
Source: Author thejazzkickazz

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor crisw before going online.
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Referenced Topics
History   World   People   Science   European Geography   Astronomy   England   Physics   Names   Philosophy   History of Science   Scientists   English People   Moons   France   Chinese Language   Greek Language   The Sun   Venus  

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