经济学人: 开普勒 R.I.P (2)

 　　The advantage of this "transit¹" method is that it is well-suited to mass production. 这种“中天”方法的优势在于非常适合大量成果产出。

　　Kepler was designed to stare fixedly² at a single patch of sky in the constellation³ of Cygnus, observing around 150,000 stars simultaneously⁴. 开普勒的设计目标是固定监控天鹅座星群中天空的一小块地方，同时观察约150000颗恒星。

　　The consequential⁵ torrent⁶ of data can be used to draw statistical⁷ conclusions about the rest of the galaxy⁸. 利用间接传输的数据流可得出关于星系剩余部分的统计结论。

　　It seems likely that every one of the Milky⁹ Way's hundreds of billions of stars sports at least one planet. 似乎有可能银河数千亿颗恒星中的每一颗都至少在一个行星中嬉戏。

　　Many of these are of a type unknown in the solar system. 其中很多都是太阳系中未知的类型。

　　The most common in Kepler's data are "super-Earths"—rocky worlds intermediate in size between Earth and Neptune¹⁰. 开普勒数据中最常见的是“超级类地行星”—大小介于地球和海王星之间的多岩世界。

　　Kepler also helped prove that "hot Jupiters" are common. These are gas giants which orbit implausibly close to their stars. 开普勒还帮助证实了“热木星”的普遍性。它们是气体巨星，围绕距离它们非常之近的恒星轨道而行

　　Theorists, who would previously¹¹ have argued that such planets were impossible, 之前认为这些行星不可能存在的理论学家

　　are still debating whether they are able to form in situ or whether they coalesce¹² farther out in their stellar systems and then migrate inward, 仍争辩它们是否能够在原地形成或是它们是否是在更远处的恒星系统中合成，然后再向内部移动，

　　knocking other planets into deep space as they do so in a game of planetary billiards¹³. 与其他行星相撞进入更深处的太空，就像在行星台球游戏中一样。

　　Kepler's biggest quarry¹⁴ was Earthlike planets at just the right distance around their stars for liquid water to exist on their surfaces. 开普勒的最大猎物群是类地行星，它们与其恒星距离适当，这样液态水才能在它们的表面存在。

　　Several have turned up, but the search became harder in 2013, by which time two of the four gyroscopes that kept the telescope stable had broken. 已经找到了几个类地行星，但在2013年搜寻任务变得更加艰难，那时四个维持望远镜稳定的陀螺仪中，有两个已经损坏。

　　Kepler's engineers came up with an ingenious fix, relying on the radiation pressure exerted by sunlight to re-steady the craft. 开普勒的工程师想出了一个独创性的修补方法，依靠太阳外露的辐射压力重新稳定航空器。

　　With its fuel depleted¹⁵, no technological¹⁶ rescue is possible this time. But nothing succeeds like success. Exoplanets are now the hottest topic in astronomy. 随着其燃料的耗尽，这一次再也没有可能的技术补救方法了。但是一事成功百事顺。现在外星行星是天文学界最热话题。

　　The Transiting¹⁷ Exoplanet Survey Satellite, launched in April, is a Kepler-like mission designed to look for exoplanets in Earth's immediate¹⁸ neighbourhood. 凌日系外行星勘测卫星于4月发射。它是一个开普勒类似的望远镜，其目的是为了寻找地球附近的外星行星。

　　These might be amenable¹⁹ to detailed²⁰ follow-ups from other, more powerful telescopes. 这些或许能够经得起来自望远镜后起之秀的详细的后续行动的考验。

　　In theory, it should be possible to sniff²¹ the air of such neighbours for signs of life, or even make rough maps of their surfaces. 理论上，它应该能够嗅到附近生命体征的存在，甚至还能对它们的表面进行粗略的绘制。

　　Two similar European missions are scheduled to launch in 2019 and 2026. Exoplanetology is just getting started. 两个类似的欧洲望远镜计划于2019年和2026年发射。系外行星学刚刚起步。

1 transit   

n.经过，运输；vt.穿越，旋转；vi.越过

参考例句：

• His luggage was lost in transit.他的行李在运送中丢失。
• The canal can transit a total of 50 ships daily.这条运河每天能通过50条船。

2 fixedly   

adv.固定地；不屈地，坚定不移地

参考例句：

• He stared fixedly at the woman in white. 他一直凝视着那穿白衣裳的女人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The great majority were silent and still, looking fixedly at the ground. 绝大部分的人都不闹不动，呆呆地望着地面。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

3 constellation   

n.星座n.灿烂的一群

参考例句：

• A constellation is a pattern of stars as seen from the earth. 一个星座只是从地球上看到的某些恒星的一种样子。
• The Big Dipper is not by itself a constellation. 北斗七星本身不是一个星座。

4 simultaneously   

adv.同时发生地，同时进行地

参考例句：

• The radar beam can track a number of targets almost simultaneously.雷达波几乎可以同时追着多个目标。
• The Windows allow a computer user to execute multiple programs simultaneously.Windows允许计算机用户同时运行多个程序。

5 consequential   

adj.作为结果的，间接的；重要的

参考例句：

• She was injured and suffered a consequential loss of earnings.她受了伤因而收入受损。
• This new transformation is at least as consequential as that one was.这一新的转变至少和那次一样重要。

6 torrent   

n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发

参考例句：

• The torrent scoured a channel down the hillside. 急流沿着山坡冲出了一条沟。
• Her pent-up anger was released in a torrent of words.她压抑的愤怒以滔滔不绝的话爆发了出来。

7 statistical   

adj.统计的，统计学的

参考例句：

• He showed the price fluctuations in a statistical table.他用统计表显示价格的波动。
• They're making detailed statistical analysis.他们正在做具体的统计分析。

8 galaxy   

n.星系；银河系；一群(杰出或著名的人物)

参考例句：

• The earth is one of the planets in the Galaxy.地球是银河系中的星球之一。
• The company has a galaxy of talent.该公司拥有一批优秀的人才。

9 milky   

adj.牛奶的，多奶的；乳白色的

参考例句：

• Alexander always has milky coffee at lunchtime.亚历山大总是在午餐时喝掺奶的咖啡。
• I like a hot milky drink at bedtime.我喜欢睡前喝杯热奶饮料。

10 Neptune   

n.海王星

参考例句：

• Neptune is the furthest planet from the sun.海王星是离太阳最远的行星。
• Neptune turned out to be a dynamic,stormy world.海王星原来是个有生气、多风暴的世界。

11 previously   

adv.以前，先前（地）

参考例句：

• The bicycle tyre blew out at a previously damaged point.自行车胎在以前损坏过的地方又爆开了。
• Let me digress for a moment and explain what had happened previously.让我岔开一会儿，解释原先发生了什么。

12 coalesce   

v.联合，结合，合并

参考例句：

• And these rings of gas would then eventually coalesce and form the planets.这些气体环最后终于凝结形成行星。
• They will probably collide again and again until they coalesce.他们可能会一次又一次地发生碰撞，直到他们合并。

13 billiards   

n.台球

参考例句：

• John used to divert himself with billiards.约翰过去总打台球自娱。
• Billiards isn't popular in here.这里不流行台球。

14 quarry   

n.采石场；v.采石；费力地找

参考例句：

• Michelangelo obtained his marble from a quarry.米开朗基罗从采石场获得他的大理石。
• This mountain was the site for a quarry.这座山曾经有一个采石场。

15 depleted   

adj. 枯竭的, 废弃的 动词deplete的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• Food supplies were severely depleted. 食物供应已严重不足。
• Both teams were severely depleted by injuries. 两个队都因队员受伤而实力大减。

16 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

17 transiting   

通过（transit的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• The effect of the transiting mechanic required reserve system vehicle is low. 准备金制度的传导机制的作用是很低的。
• I was busy transiting to the telescope. 我正忙着旋转望远镜。

18 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

19 amenable   

adj.经得起检验的；顺从的；对负有义务的

参考例句：

• His scientific discoveries are amenable to the laws of physics.他在科学上的发现经得起物理定律的检验。
• He is amenable to counsel.他这人听劝。

20 detailed   

adj.详细的，详尽的，极注意细节的，完全的

参考例句：

• He had made a detailed study of the terrain.他对地形作了缜密的研究。
• A detailed list of our publications is available on request.我们的出版物有一份详细的目录备索。

21 sniff   

vi.嗅…味道；抽鼻涕；对嗤之以鼻，蔑视

参考例句：

• The police used dogs to sniff out the criminals in their hiding - place.警察使用警犬查出了罪犯的藏身地点。
• When Munchie meets a dog on the beach, they sniff each other for a while.当麦奇在海滩上碰到另一条狗的时候，他们会彼此嗅一会儿。