Astronomy current events question: exoplanet HAT-P-11b atmospheric water vapor

Astronomy 210L, fall 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!)

Felicia Chou, Whitney Clavin, Donna Weaver, Ray Villard, Michele Johnson, "NASA Telescopes Find Clear Skies and Water Vapor on Exoplanet," (September 24, 2014)
http://news.sciencemag.org/earth/2014/09/half-earths-water-formed-sun-was-born

The NASA Hubble, Spitzer and Kepler space telescopes detected evidence of water vapor in the atmosphere of exoplanet HAT-P-11b by observing __________ as it passed in front of its star.
(A) tidal forces.
(B) gravitational lensing.
(C) lightning storms.
(D) transmitted and absorbed light.
(E) cyclonic weather patterns.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 0 students
(B) : 6 students
(C) : 2 students
(D) : 15 students
(E) : 13 students