Astronomy current events question: ʻOuamuamua surface composition

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2018
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!)

News release, "Alien Object ʻOumuamua Was A Natural Body Visiting from Another Solar System--Queen's Scientists" (December 15, 2017)
qub.ac.uk/News/Allnews/AlienobjectOumuamuawasanaturalbodyvisitingfromanothersolarsystemQueensscientists.html

The interstellar object ʻOuamuamua that recently visited our solar system was determined to have a carbon-rich ice surface, based on measurements of its:
(A) melting rate.
(B) vapor trail.
(C) shape and size.
(D) reflected sunlight.
(E) speed and trajectory.

Correct answer: (D)

Student responses
Sections 30679, 30680
(A) : 9 students
(B) : 9 students
(C) : 3 students
(D) : 18 students
(E) : 3 students