Which of the following most logically completes the argument?
Quote:
A photograph of the night sky was taken with the camera shutter open for an extended period. The normal motion of stars across the sky caused the images of the stars in the photograph to appear as streaks. However, one bright spot was not streaked. Even if the spot were caused, as astronomers believe, by a celestial object, that object could still have been moving across the sky during the time the shutter was open, since __________.
Argument Analysis:
1. A photograph of the night sky taken with camera shutter open for an extended period.
2. The normal motion of stars across the sky caused the images of the stars in the photograph to appear as streaks (Long thin line...) Which means that the camera shutter kept capturing the light that was available during the whole duration of the open shutter, or may be the longer the light was available, the longer the streak became.
3. Now author brings the contrast here and says that "One Bright spot wasn't a streak"
4. Even though the astronomer believe that the spot was because of the celestial object, and that object could still have been moving across the sky during the time the shutter was open.(Then what makes that celestial object different form other stars, which appeared as streaks. Why didn't this celestial body didn't appear as streak?)
We need to account for some difference between both of these celestial bodies to give a reason for the same...
Quote:
(A) the spot was not the brightest object in the photograph
Even if it wasn't the brightest object in the photograph, if it had the normal motion of the star in the sky and a constant light, it should have appeared as a streak and not as a spot. This option doesn't account for the difference.
Quote:
(B) the photograph contains many streaks that astronomers can identify as caused by noncelestial objects
1. Non celestial objects aren't the matter of concern here in the argument
2. Also we aren't concerned about the streaks formed by the non-celestial/celestial objects, but rather with the spot in the photograph.
Quote:
(C) stars in the night sky do not appear to shift position relative to each other
This no where makes any connection with the overall argument. Weather stars appear to shift portion to each other or not is not of concerns here. If the stars shift positions to each other then the relative streaks shall be seen as changing positions relative to each other. Doesn't addresses anything with the argument.
Quote:
(D) the spot could have been caused by an object that emitted a flash that lasted for only a fraction of the time that the camera shutter was open
This absolutely seems to hit the target. If there is an object that appeared for a fraction of time that the camera shutter was open, the camera made the image for only that particular time and for the rest of the time the camera saw dark image in that place, here only a spot got formed in the image. This explains the spot formation clearly. Let's keep D
Quote:
(E) if the camera shutter had not been open for an extended period, it would have recorded substantially fewer celestial objects
Would it record fewer or many celestial objects isn't something that deals in anyway with our concern of the bright spot mentioned in the argument. Goes Out.
D is the best option available...