1. Could you use the shadow of Beaumont Tower to measure its height? If so how, if not why not?

2. If the earth did not have a moon, do you think it would have affected the pace of the development of astronomy? If so, would astronomy have advanced more quickly or less rapidly? Why? If not, why not?

3. Why does the Moon have more craters than the Earth, even though the Earth is much larger than the Moon? Now using this same logic, what is the order of cratering on Venus, Mercury and Mars, from the most to the least? What can we learn about planets and their satellites from observing the craters on their surface?

4. The largest volcano in the solar system is Olympus Mons on Mars. If Olympus Mons is 587 km from the terminator, the shadow is 156 km long and the angle between the shadow and the sun's rays is 0.17 radians. What is the height of Olympus Mons? What is the Radius of Mars? How does one solve these problems?

5. If the Moon were smaller, but the height of the crater was the same, would its shadow be the same, shorter or longer? Why?

6. Below is an image of Venus. What can you conclude about the surface of Venus from this image?
   

7. Below is an image of Mars. What can you conclude about the surface of Mars from this image?
   

Updated: 2002.09.11 (Wednesday) 10:12:59 EDT