Astronomy current events question: GAIA surveying mission

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2014
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!)

Markus Bauer, Giuseppe Sarri, and Timo Prusti, "Gaia Comes Into Focus," February 6, 2014
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Gaia/Gaia_comes_into_focus

The European Space Agency Gaia space telescope will begin making routine measurements of __________ in the Milky Way.
(A) Earth-like planets.
(B) star positions and motions.
(C) dark matter.
(D) interstellar gas.
(E) cosmic ray sources.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 11 students
(B) : 29 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 1 student