20170901

Astronomy current events question: Cassini's final orbits

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2017
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!)
Felicia Chou, Preston Dyches, "Cassini to Begin Final Five Orbits Around Saturn" (August 9, 2017)
nasa.gov/press-release/cassini-to-begin-final-five-orbits-around-saturn
NASA's Cassini spacecraft is making its final orbits to explore Saturn's upper atmosphere before it:
(A) breaks up like a meteor.
(B) is trapped in Saturn's rings.
(C) lands on Saturn's moon, Titan.
(D) returns to Earth.
(E) becomes a permanent satellite of Saturn.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 26 students
(B) : 7 students
(C) : 4 students
(D) : 8 students
(E) : 3 students

No comments: