Astronomy current events question: Betelgeuse hot spots

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!)

Aeron Haworth, "Mysterious Hot Spots Observed in a Cool Red Supergiant," April 25, 2013
http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=9911

The e-MERLIN radio telescope array observed __________ within the supergiant Betelgeuse, which may be evidence of convection or pulsations in its outer regions.
(A) gravitational shockwaves.
(B) hot spots.
(C) granules.
(D) a pulsar.
(E) iron fusion.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 6 students
(B) : 32 students
(C) : 3 students
(D) : 7 students
(E) : 2 students