20171208

Astronomy current events question: supernova SN 2014J light echo

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!)
Donna Weaver, Ray Villard, and Yi Yang, "Hubble Movie Shows Movement of Light Echo Around Exploded Star" (November 9, 2017)
hubblesite.org/news_release/news/2017-42
A "light echo" in galaxy M82 is caused by light from the supernova SN 2014J being reflected by:
(A) a huge dust cloud.
(B) gravitational waves.
(C) curved spacetime.
(D) its own asteroid belt.
(E) antimatter.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 31 students
(B) : 8 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 2 students

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