Astronomy midterm question: Cassiopeia and Orion visible in March 27 night sky?

Astronomy 210 Midterm 1, spring semester 2019
Cuesta College, San Luis Obispo, CA

Shown at right is a comic strip[*] published on March 27, 1994. Determine a plausible time for an observer in San Luis Obispo, CA to be able to see both the constellation Cassiopeia and the constellation Orion somewhere in the night sky on this date, or discuss why this comic strip is not plausible. Defend your answer by clearly explaining how you used your starwheel to do this, along with any assumptions that you may have made.

[*] Mort Walker and Chance Browne, "Hi & Lois" (March 27, 1994), King Features Syndicate.

Solution and grading rubric:

• p:
  Correct. Locates the constellations Cassiopeia and Orion on the starwheel, and rotates starwheel such that both are still visible in the sky on March 27 (from approximately 12 PM to 11 PM), and within that range selects a time that is dark enough to see stars (after approximately 7 PM), such that this would be plausible for time within the range 7 PM to 11 PM on that date.
• r:
  Nearly correct (explanation weak, unclear or only nearly complete); includes extraneous/tangential information; or has minor errors. Discusses how this is not plausible, because at 12 AM on March 27 Orion will have already set, but does not consider a slightly earlier time that night where both Cassiopeia and Orion would be visible.
• t:
  Contains right ideas, but discussion is unclear/incomplete or contains major errors. Discusses some date other than March 27 to find a time when both Cassiopeia and Orion would be visible in the night sky.
• v:
  Limited relevant discussion of supporting evidence of at least some merit, but in an inconsistent or unclear manner. At least attempts to use starwheel in a systematic manner.
• x:
  Implementation/application of ideas, but credit given for effort rather than merit. Discussion not clearly based on using a starwheel in a systematic manner.
• y:
  Irrelevant discussion/effectively blank.
• z:
  Blank.

Grading distribution:
Section 30676
Exam code: midterm01SFBk
p: 31 students
r: 5 students
t: 3 students
v: 4 students
x: 1 student
y: 0 students
z: 0 students

A sample "p" response (from student 1929):
Another sample "p" response (from student 4132):
Another sample "p" response (from student 7415):
A sample "r" response (from student 0815), only considering midnight on March 27 to test for (im)plausibility:
A sample "t" response (from student 7563), testing for a plausible time on another date besides March 27: