Astronomy current events question: TESS tidal disruption event

Astronomy 210L, fall semester 2019
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!)

Jeanette Kazmierczak, "NASA’s TESS Mission Spots its First Star-Shredding Black Hole" (September 26, 2019)
nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2019/nasa-s-tess-mission-spots-its-1st-star-shredding-black-hole

NASA's planet-hunting Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite detected its first tidal disruption event, where:
(A) a star was torn apart by a black hole.
(B) an exomoon escaped from its exoplanet.
(C) gravitational waves trigged a supernova.
(D) the moon's rotation suddenly slowed down.
(E) sea level on Earth rose over one centimeter.

Correct answer: (A)

Student responses
Sections 70178, 70186
(A) : 32 students
(B) : 3 students
(C) : 0 students
(D) : 1 student
(E) : 0 students