Astronomy current events question: NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite

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!)

Felicia Chou, Claire Saravia, and Joshua Finch, "NASA Planet Hunter on Its Way to Orbit" (April 18, 2018)
nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-planet-hunter-on-its-way-to-orbit

NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will use spectroscopy to study the __________ of exoplanets passing in front of bright stars.
(A) vaporization.
(B) core temperatures.
(C) atmospheres.
(D) surface seismology.
(E) radioactivity.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30679, 30680
(A) : 1 student
(B) : 6 students
(C) : 7 students
(D) : 7 students
(E) : 7 students