20120326

Astronomy current events question: avoiding zodiacal light

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!)
Francis Reddy, "NASA's Goddard, Glenn Centers Look to Lift Space Astronomy out of the Fog," March 12, 2012
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/solarsystem/features/about-next.html
To avoid interference from the zodiacal cloud of comet and asteroid dust, NASA scientists would like to place future space telescopes:
(A) mounted on high-altitude aircraft.
(B) on the far side of the moon.
(C) docked to the International Space Station.
(D) on top of Antarctic mountains.
(E) in a tilted orbit around the sun.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 7 students
(B) : 15 students
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 24 students

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