20150320

Astronomy current events question: multiple supernova images

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2015
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!)
Donna Weaver, Ray Villard, Patrick Kelly, and Steve Rodney, "Hubble Sees Supernova Split into Four Images by Cosmic Lens," (March 5, 2015)
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2015/08/full/
Due to gravitational lensing by the MACS J1149.6+2223 cluster of galaxies, the Hubble Space Telescope observed a supernova:
(A) split into multiple images.
(B) falling into a supermassive black hole.
(C) moving back in time.
(D) just before it actually exploded.
(E) converted into dark matter.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 37 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 7 students
(E) : 6 students

No comments: