评论
打印
The European Space Agency (ESA) is preparing to launch a spacecraft designed to study the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy across far reaches of the universe.
欧洲航天局正准备发射一个航天器，旨在研究宇宙深处暗物质和暗能量的奥秘。
The launch of ESA's Euclid spacecraft is set for July 1.
欧空局的欧几里得航天器定于7月1日发射。
It will lift off from Florida's Cape Canaveral launch center aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.
它将搭载SpaceX猎鹰9号火箭从佛罗里达州的卡纳维拉尔角发射中心发射升空。
Euclid is a space telescope built to act as an orbiting observatory.
欧几里得是一架太空望远镜，用作轨道天文台。
It will gather data scientists hope to use to create a 3D map of the universe.
它将收集科学家希望用来绘制宇宙3D地图的数据。
The spacecraft is expected to observe activities in billions of galaxies and help researchers learn more about how the universe developed over the past 10 billion years.
预计该航天器将观测数十亿个星系的活动，并帮助研究人员更多地了解宇宙在过去100亿年中是如何发展的。
The main goal of the Euclid mission is to study the effects and activities of dark energy and dark matter – both of which are considered mysterious forces in the universe.
欧几里得任务的主要目标是研究暗能量和暗物质的影响和活动——两者都被认为是宇宙中的神秘力量。
This is because neither of these two materials can be directly seen or felt.
这是因为这两者都不能直接被看到或感觉到。
Astronomers believe dark energy makes up about 68 percent of the universe, while dark matter makes up around 27 percent, the American space agency NASA reports.
据美国航空航天局报道，天文学家认为暗能量约占宇宙总质量的68%，暗物质约占宇宙总质量的27%。
But beyond that, very little is known about the two "dark" elements.
但除此之外，人们对这两种“暗”元素知之甚少。
Dark energy is an unidentifiable form of energy that scientists believe is responsible for helping the universe expand.
暗能量是一种无法识别的能量，科学家认为它是帮助宇宙膨胀的罪魁祸首。
Dark matter is a material that also affects the expansion of the universe.
暗物质是一种也会影响宇宙膨胀的物质。
Astronomers have theorized that dark matter exists because of gravity's observed effects on galaxies and groups of galaxies.
天文学家推测，暗物质的存在是由于引力对星系和星系团的影响。
Leaders of the mission say Euclid was built to collect data on how the universe "has expanded and how structure has formed over cosmic history," an ESA statement says.
欧空局在一份声明中表示，该任务的负责人表示，建造欧几里得是为了收集有关宇宙如何“膨胀以及宇宙历史上结构如何形成”的数据。
With this information, scientists will attempt to explain some of the properties of dark energy, dark matter and gravity, the statement added.
欧空局还在声明中表示，有了这些信息，科学家将试图解释暗能量、暗物质和引力的一些性质。
The Euclid spacecraft is 4.7 meters tall and 3.7 meters around.
欧几里得航天器高4.7米，周长3.7米。
It contains two main parts, called modules.
它包含两个主要部分，即舱。
One module is made up of a telescope and two scientific instruments.
其中一个舱由一个望远镜和两个科学仪器组成。
The other contains satellite systems, power controllers, data processors and other equipment.
另一个舱包括卫星系统、电源控制器、数据处理器和其他设备。
Euclid will travel to an orbiting spot about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.
欧几里得将前往距离地球约150万公里的轨道点。
The area is called the second Lagrangian Point.
这个区域叫做第二拉格朗日点。
This is where NASA's James Webb Space Telescope operates from, as well as ESA's orbiting observatory Gaia.
这是美国航空航天局的詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜和欧空局的轨道天文台盖亚的工作地点。
Mission leaders say Euclid will capture images in optical and near-infrared light.
任务负责人表示，欧几里得将在光学和近红外光下捕捉图像。
The images will cover about one-third of the universe beyond our Milky Way galaxy.
这些图像将覆盖银河系以外约三分之一的宇宙。
The quality of the images is expected to be "at least four times sharper" than others captured by ground-based telescopes, the team said.
该团队表示，这些图像的质量预计将比地面望远镜捕捉到的其他图像“至少清晰四倍”。
These images will be used to create a new, detailed 3D map of the universe.
这些图像将被用来绘制一张新的、详细的宇宙3D地图。
The first images are expected to be sent back quickly once the spacecraft's operations begin in October.
预计第一批图像将在10月份航天器开始运行后迅速传回。
In addition to studying dark matter and dark energy, Euclid will use its infrared instruments to collect data on hundreds of millions of galaxies and stars.
除了研究暗物质和暗能量，欧几里得还将使用其红外仪器收集数亿个星系和恒星的数据。
Astronomers say this will permit them to investigate the chemical makeup and motion behaviors of many different space objects and environments in greater detail.
天文学家表示，这将使他们能够更详细地研究许多不同太空物体和环境的化学组成和运动行为。
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is also based on powerful, but sensitive, infrared technology.
美国航空航天局的詹姆斯·韦伯太空望远镜也是基于强大而灵敏的红外技术。
This has permitted the telescope to collect data and produce images from parts of the universe that were never observable before.
这使得望远镜能够从以前从未观测到的宇宙部分收集数据并生成图像。
I'm Bryan Lynn.
布莱恩·林恩为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
