Astronomy current events question: Ceres' water vapor

Astronomy 210L, spring 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!)

Markus Bauer
, Michael Küppers, Laurence O’Rourke, and Göran Pilbratt, "Herschel Discovers Water Vapour Around Dwarf Planet Ceres," January 22, 2014
http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Space_Science/Herschel/Herschel_discovers_water_vapour_around_dwarf_planet_Ceres

The European Space Agency Herschel space observatory detected __________, which is evidence of water vapor around the dwarf planet Ceres.
(A) polar ice caps.
(B) deep underground oceans.
(C) changing cloud patterns.
(D) plate tectonics.
(E) variations in absorbed light.

Correct answer: (E)

Student responses
Sections 30678, 30679, 30680
(A) : 12 students
(B) : 1 student
(C) : 17 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 22 students