Astronomy current events question: Curiosity rover self-portrait

Astronomy 210L, fall 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!)

Tony Greicius, "Preliminary Self-Portrait of Curiosity by Rover's Arm Camera," October 31, 2012
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/msl/multimedia/pia16238.html

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover was able to take a full-color self-portrait by:
(A) combining photos from its arm camera.
(B) observing its shadow on a flat rock plain.
(C) using its rear-view mirrors.
(D) pointing its 3-D mast cameras downwards.
(E) deploying a remote roving camera.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 38 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 0 students
(D) : 5 students
(E) : 2 students