Astronomy current events question: youngest brown dwarf

Astronomy 210L, Fall Semester 2009
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!)

Astronomy.com editors, "Spitzer Telescope Observes Baby Brown Dwarf," November 23, 2009
http://www.astronomy.com/asy/default.aspx?c=a&id=8846

The NASA Spitzer Space Telescope has discovered the youngest brown dwarf ever observed, which is:
(A) cooler and lighter than a star, but heavier and warmer than a jovian planet.
(B) an extremely old white dwarf.
(C) an almost failed black hole.
(D) theoretically composed of dark matter.
(E) a star with a high proportion of dusty material.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 20 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 1 student
(D) : 2 students
(E) : 3 students