20100311

Astronomy current events question: recent Enceladus images

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2010
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!)
Astronomy.com editors, "Cassini Finds Plethora of Plumes, Hotspots at Enceladus," February 24, 2010
http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=9453
Newly released images from NASA's Cassini spacecraft of Enceladus, Saturn's moon, reveal:
(A) regions that have impact craters recently smoothed over by ice flows.
(B) 3D images of fissures spraying icy particles, water vapor, and organic compounds.
(C) the current location of the Huygens lander, floating in a lake of liquid hydrocarbons.
(D) lightning strikes deep within transparent icy layers.
(E) a new impact crater, most likely from a stray comet.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 4 students
(B) : 21 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 1 student

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