Astronomy current events question: Cassini flyby of Enceladus

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2012
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Students are assigned to read online articles on current astronomy events, and take a short current events quiz during the first 10 minutes of lab. (This motivates students to show up promptly to lab, as the time cut-off for the quiz is strictly enforced!)

Jia-Rui C. Cook, "Cassini Successfully Flies over Enceladus," April 16, 2012
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/whycassini/cassini20120416.html

NASA's Cassini spacecraft passed very close to Saturn's moon, Enceladus, in order to:
(A) escape exposure to Saturn's energetic aurorae.
(B) scrape crust samples off of high outcroppings.
(C) analyze the composition of its water vapor plumes.
(D) measure the flow rate of ice glaciers.
(E) slingshot back out of a decaying orbit.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 7 students
(C) : 33 students
(D) : 5 students
(E) : 3 students