Astronomy current events question: exoplanet HD 189733b

Astronomy 210L, fall 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!)

Ray Villard and Frederic Pont, "NASA's Hubble Finds a True Blue Planet," July 11, 2013
http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2013/26/full/

Exoplanet HD 189733b may have a deep blue color based on observations from the Hubble Space Telescope of:
(A) hydrogen emissions from water vapor.
(B) temperatures just above absolute zero.
(C) methane- and ethane-rich composition.
(D) molten glass rain in its atmosphere.
(E) light absorbed as it passed in front of its star.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 13 students
(B) : 4 students
(C) : 9 students
(D) : 25 student
(E) : 15 students