Q 01/05

In which constellation is Sirius the brightest star?

A) Canis Major

B) Taurus

C) Orion

D) Canis Minor

Answer · why

A) Canis Major

Canis Major: it trails at the heels of Orion the hunter, and Greek stargazers often pictured it chasing Lepus, the hare, across the sky.

Q 02/05

Which is the only star visible to the naked eye at night that lies closer to us than Sirius?

A) Barnard's Star

B) Epsilon Eridani

C) Alpha Centauri

D) Betelgeuse

Answer · why

C) Alpha Centauri

Alpha Centauri: it sits so far south that it never rises over Europe or most of North America, which makes Sirius the nearest star that skywatchers th...

Q 03/05

What is the Greek word behind the name Sirius usually said to mean?

A) Watchful or wakeful

B) Faithful or loyal

C) Glowing or scorching

D) Wandering or restless

Answer · why

C) Glowing or scorching

Glowing or scorching is the usual reading of the Greek Seirios, but some scholars suspect the Greeks borrowed the star's name from an older language.

Q 04/05

Which star is the second-brightest in the night sky, roughly half as bright as Sirius?

A) Arcturus

B) Rigel

C) Betelgeuse

D) Canopus

Answer · why

D) Canopus

Canopus pours out hundreds of times more light than Sirius and only looks fainter because it lies roughly 310 light-years away, dozens of times farthe...

Q 05/05

Roughly how far from Earth is the Sirius system?

A) About 1 light-year

B) About 8.6 light-years

C) About 40 light-years

D) About 250 light-years

Answer · why

B) About 8.6 light-years

About 8.6 light-years: only a handful of stars lie closer to the Sun, and that nearness, more than raw power, is the main reason Sirius outshines ever...