Astronomy current events question: ADFS-27 galaxy pair rapid star formation

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!)

News release, "Duo of Titanic Galaxies Captured in Extreme Starbursting Merger" (November 13, 2017)
public.nrao.edu/news/2017-alma-starbursting-merger/

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) observed ADFS-27, a pair of galaxies with rapid star formation triggered by:
(A) merging supermassive black holes.
(B) the end of the big bang.
(C) matter-antimatter annihilation.
(D) passing through each other.
(E) type II supernova explosions.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 22 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 3 students
(D) : 12 students
(E) : 4 students