Astronomy current events question: Neptune's dark vortex

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2018
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!)

Ray Villard, "Hubble Sees Neptune's Mysterious Shrinking Storm" (February 15, 2018)
nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2018/hubble-sees-neptunes-mysterious-shrinking-storm

The Hubble Space Telescope is observing how Neptune's dark vortex is:
(A) disrupting its own magnetic field.
(B) pulling in its nearest moon, Naiad.
(C) producing trace amounts of dark matter.
(D) shrinking and fading.
(E) bulging its equator outwards.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 30679, 30680
(A) : 4 students
(B) : 5 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 26 students
(E) : 1 student