Astronomy current events question: Planet Finder validates mini-Neptune exoplanet

Astronomy 210L, spring semester 2020
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!)

Rebecca Johnson and Samuel Sholtis, "Planet Finder Validates Its First Habitable-Zone Exoplanet, a Mini Neptune" (February 21, 2020)
news.utexas.edu/2020/02/21/planet-finder-validates-its-first-habitable-zone-exoplanet-a-mini-neptune/

The Habitable Zone Planet Finder instrument on the Hobby-Eberly Telescope eliminated the possibility that exoplanet G 9-40b could be a:
(A) debris ring.
(B) imaging artifact.
(C) companion star.
(D) solar flare remnant.
(E) matter-antimatter pocket.

Correct answer: (C)

Student responses
Sections 30679, 30680
(A) : 5 students
(B) : 4 students
(C) : 18 students
(D) : 3 students
(E) : 1 student