Live Quiz Arena
🎁 1 Free Round Daily
⚡ Enter ArenaQuestion
← HistoryWhich outcome results from misalignment of the alidade on an astrolabe when measuring the altitude of a star?
A)Inaccurate celestial sphere projection
B)Error in aligning with local meridian
C)Systematic error in altitude reading✓
D)Distortion of the ecliptic coordinate display
💡 Explanation
When the alidade is misaligned, parallax error is introduced because the observed angle is shifted from the true altitude, leading to a systematic bias in all altitude measurements. Therefore a systematic error in the altitude reading results, rather than projection errors, inaccurate meridian alignment, or ecliptic coordinate distortion, which depend on different aspects of the instrument's construction and use.
🏆 Up to £1,000 monthly prize pool
Ready for the live challenge? Join the next global round now.
*Terms apply. Skill-based competition.
Related Questions
Browse History →- Which mechanism primarily enabled the construction of stable, multi-story ziggurats in ancient Mesopotamia?
- Which primary destabilizing outcome arose from the repeated irrigation salinization in ancient Mesopotamian canals?
- Which risk increases in Roman aqueducts when calcium carbonate concentration markedly increases in the water source?
- Which primary structural challenge did Mesopotamian engineers face during ziggurat construction regarding soil liquefaction?
- Which risk increased in early Mesoamerican maize agriculture via genetic selection for larger kernels on the central cob?
- Which structural vulnerability existed when Roman fortifications relied primarily on limestone-based mortar exposed to high temperatures?
