Astronomy current events question: final moments before type II supernova

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2013
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!)

Ron Cowen, "Astronomers Catch Rare Glimpse of a Star's Final Moments," February 6, 2013
http://www.nature.com/news/astronomers-catch-rare-glimpse-of-a-star-s-final-moments-1.12383

Astronomers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel have observed the behavior of a star before undergoing a recent type II supernova explosion, from:
(A) earlier images taken of the same region of sky.
(B) neutrino emissions in deep underground mines.
(C) pulsar timing variations.
(D) radioactivity fluctuations.
(E) gravitational lensing.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 23 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 10 students
(D) : 15 students
(E) : 2 students