20110305

Astronomy current events question: Stardust-NExT flyby of Tempel 1 comet

Astronomy 210L, Spring Semester 2011
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!)
Jet Propulsion Laboratory press release, "NASA Releases Images of Man-Made Crater on Comet," February 15, 2011
http://stardustnext.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/ManMade_Crater_Comet.html
NASA's Stardust-NExT spacecraft recently imaged the impact crater on comet Tempel 1 created by the 2005 Deep Impact mission, providing evidence:
(A) that a comet trajectory cannot be shifted.
(B) of a weak and fragile composition.
(C) of liquid water under an icy crust.
(D) of a still-warm interior.
(E) it is unable to produce a tail.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 8 students
(B) : 40 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 0 students

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