Astronomy current events question: planetary formation around star HD169142

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2014
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!)

Silbia López de Lacalle, "Signs of the Formation of a Planetary System Around the Star HD169142," (September 4, 2014)
http://news.sciencemag.org/earth/2014/09/half-earths-water-formed-sun-was-born

The Very Large Array radio telescope observations of the dust disk surrounding the star HD169142 may be evidence of:
(A) planet formation.
(B) the origin of life.
(C) an impending supernova.
(D) evaporating water.
(E) matter falling into a black hole.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 24 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 5 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 2 students