20160401

Astronomy current events question: FU Origins outbursts

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2016
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!)
News release, "Subaru-HiCIAO Spots Young Stars Surreptitiously Gluttonizing Their Birth Clouds" (February 24, 2016)
subarutelescope.org/Pressrelease/2016/02/24b/index.html
The Subaru Telescope's High-Contrast Coronagraphic Imager for Adaptive Optics (HiCIAO) observed "FU Orionis outbursts," which are stars that may:
(A) feed on their binary companions.
(B) suddenly and violently accumulate mass.
(C) emit powerful gravitational waves.
(D) be made of antimatter.
(E) collapse to become black holes.

Correct answer: (B)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 3 students
(B) : 7 students
(C) : 15 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 2 students

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