Astronomy current events question: comet properties of asteroid 3552 Don Quixote

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!)

Northern Arizona University news release, "NAU-led Team Discovers Comet Hiding in Plain Sight," September 10, 2013
http://news.nau.edu/nau-led-teams-discovers-comet-hiding-in-plain-sight/

NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope observations of asteroid 3552 Don Quixote's __________ revealed that it is a comet.
(A) metal-poor composition.
(B) irregular orbit.
(C) faint coma and tail.
(D) core density.
(E) cratered surface.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186, 70200
(A) : 2 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 48 students
(D) : 4 students
(E) : 2 students