20130422

Astronomy current events question: naming exoplanets?

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2013
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!)
Thierry Montmerle, Alain Lecavelier des Etangs, and Lars Lindberg Christensen, "Can One Buy the Right to Name a Planet?," April 12, 2013
http://www.iau.org/public_press/news/detail/iau1301/
The International Astronomical Union issued a public warning of an unauthorized organization collecting money to:
(A) repair the Hubble Space Telescope.
(B) broadcast messages to extraterrestrials.
(C) nominate and vote on exoplanet names.
(D) sponsor the International Space Station.
(E) name the asteroid NASA will bring to Earth orbit.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 2 students
(C) : 45 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 1 student

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