外星不明物体造访太阳系

近日，一个代号为A11pl3Z的不明物体引起天文学家的关注。据报道，该天体可能是人类发现的第三个已知的太阳系外星际天体。

今天你练听力了吗？

🤔️小作业：

1. Why might the actual size of the object 3I/Atlas be significantly smaller than initially estimated?

A. Its composition is denser than typical asteroids

B. Its brightness is mostly caused by reflected sunlight from nearby planets

C. The presence of a coma may have led to overestimating its size

D. Early telescopic measurements exaggerated the object's trajectory

无注释原文：

Scientists spot mystery object believed to come from beyond solar system

From: The Guardian

It isn't a bird, it isn't a plane and it certainly isn't Superman – but it does appear to be a visitor from beyond our solar system, according to astronomers who have discovered a new object hurtling through our cosmic neighbourhood.

The object, originally called A11pl3Z and now known as 3I/Atlas, was first reported by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (Atlas) survey telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile, on Tuesday.

According to Nasa, subsequent analysis of data collected by various telescopes before this date has extended observations back to 14 June, and further observations have also been made. As a result, experts have been plotting the path of the visitor.

Dr Mark Norris, a senior lecturer in astronomy at the University of Central Lancashire, said: “If confirmed, it will be the third known interstellar object from outside our solar system that we have discovered, providing more evidence that such interstellar wanderers are relatively common in our galaxy.”

While the nature of the new visitor was not initially apparent, the Minor Planet Center has revealed that tentative signs of cometary activity have been spotted, noting that the object has a marginal coma and short tail. As a result, the object has been given the additional name of C/2025 N1.

While some experts have suggested the object could be as large as 12 miles (20km) in diameter – bigger than the space rock that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs – it seems Earth residents do not need to worry.

Nasa said: “The comet poses no threat to Earth and will remain at a distance of at least 1.6 astronomical units [about 150m miles].”

Colin Snodgrass, a professor of planetary astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, said the object could turn out to be smaller.

“Based on the brightness reported in the initial observations, that translates to a 20km asteroid if you assume typical properties, but only if you assume it is an asteroid and not a comet,” he said. “There are reports that it shows a small comet-like tail, so that implies a lot of the brightness will be from the coma (atmosphere) of dust around the object, and it is likely that the solid nucleus is smaller.”

Nasa said the object would reach its closest approach to the sun around 30 October, coming within about 130m miles of the star – or just within the orbit of Mars. The comet is then expected to leave this solar system and head back out into the cosmos.

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注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考

含注释全文：

Scientists spot mystery object believed to come from beyond solar system

From: The Guardian

It isn't a bird, it isn't a plane and it certainly isn't Superman – but it does appear to be a visitor from beyond our solar system, according to astronomers who have discovered a new object hurtling through our cosmic neighbourhood.

它不是鸟，不是飞机，更不是超人——但据天文学家称，这似乎是一位来自太阳系之外的“访客”，正疾驰穿过我们的宇宙邻域。

the solar system /ˈsəʊ.lə ˌsɪs.təm/ 表示“太阳系”，英文解释为“the sun and the group of planets that move around it”

astronomer /əˈstrɒn.ə.mər/ 表示“天文学家”，英文解释为“someone who studies astronomy”

hurtle /ˈhɜː.təl/ 表示“快速移动;（尤指危险地）猛冲”，英文解释为“to move very fast, especially in a way that seems dangerous”举个🌰：The truck came hurtling towards us. 卡车朝我们猛冲过来。

cosmic /ˈkɒz.mɪk/ 表示“宇宙的”，英文解释为“relating to the universe and the natural processes that happen in it”如：cosmic dust/radiation 宇宙尘埃/辐射。

The object, originally called A11pl3Z and now known as 3I/Atlas, was first reported by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (Atlas) survey telescope in Río Hurtado, Chile, on Tuesday.

该天体起初命名为A11pl3Z，如今称为3I/Atlas，最早由设在智利里奥乌尔塔多的小行星撞击最后警报系统（ATLAS）望远镜在周二捕捉到。

asteroid /ˈæstəˌrɔɪd/ asteroid表示“小行星”，英文解释为“one of the many small planets that move around the Sun, especially between Mars and Jupiter”

区分：

📍asterisk /ˈæs.tɚ.ɪsk/ 表示“星号*”，英文解释为：a mark like a star (*), used especially to show something interesting or important.

terrestrial /təˈres.tri.əl/ 1）表示“地球的；与地球有关的”，英文解释为“relating to the earth”

2）表示“（动物）陆生的，陆栖的”，英文解释为“(of animals) living on the land rather than in the water or air”

3）表示“（电视频道）陆地上的，地面上的（与卫星相对而言）”，英文解释为“Terrestrial television channels are broadcast from stations on the ground and do not use satellites.”

According to Nasa, subsequent analysis of data collected by various telescopes before this date has extended observations back to 14 June, and further observations have also been made. As a result, experts have been plotting the path of the visitor.

NASA表示，通过分析多个望远镜此前的观测数据，专家已将观测时间回溯至6月14日，并进行了进一步追踪，目前正积极推演该天体的运行路径。

subsequent /ˈsʌb.sɪ.kwənt/ 表示“随后的，接着的；后来的；之后的；接后的”，英文解释为“happening after something else”举个🌰：The book discusses his illness and subsequent resignation from politics. 书中讲述了他患病及随后隐退政坛的事。

Dr Mark Norris, a senior lecturer in astronomy at the University of Central Lancashire, said: “If confirmed, it will be the third known interstellar object from outside our solar system that we have discovered, providing more evidence that such interstellar wanderers are relatively common in our galaxy.”

英国中央兰开夏大学天文学高级讲师马克·诺里斯（Mark Norris）博士表示：“如果确认无误，这将是我们发现的第三个已知的太阳系外星际天体，进一步印证这类来自银河系其他区域的天体其实并不少见。”

interstellar /ˌɪn.təˈstel.ər/ 表示“星际的”，英文解释为“between the stars”如：interstellar space 星际空间。

While the nature of the new visitor was not initially apparent, the Minor Planet Center has revealed that tentative signs of cometary activity have been spotted, noting that the object has a marginal coma and short tail. As a result, the object has been given the additional name of C/2025 N1.

尽管一开始尚不能确定该天体的具体性质，但小行星中心报告称，已观测到一些彗星活动的迹象，包括稀薄的彗发和短短的尾巴，因此其又被命名为C/2025 N1。

tentative /ˈten.tə.tɪv/ 表示“（计划、想法、建议、行动等）试验（性）的，试探（性）的，暂时的”，英文解释为“(of a plan or idea) not certain or agreed, or (of a suggestion or action) said or done in a careful but uncertain way because you do not know if you are right”举个🌰：I have tentative plans to take a trip to Beijing in December. 我暂定12月份去北京旅行。

词源和词根：来自拉丁语的"tentativus"，源于"tentare"，意为"尝试"。 派生词：tentatively, tentativeness，常用短语：tentative agreement 初步协议。

cometary表示“彗星的”。

comet /ˈkɒm.ɪt/ 表示“彗星”，英文解释为“an object that moves around the sun, usually at a great distance from it, that is seen on rare occasions from the earth as a bright line in the sky”

彗星（comet）是指由冰、尘埃、岩石等物质组成的，当接近太阳时，会因温度升高而释放气体和尘埃，形成彗尾的天体。彗星的核心（彗核）通常由水冰、干冰、甲烷、氨等冻结物质和尘埃、岩石等组成。

1）表示“微小的；少量的”，英文解释为“very small in amount or effect”举个🌰：The report suggests that there has only been a marginal improvement in women's pay over the past few years. 报告显示，过去几年女性的工资只有小幅增长。

短语：

📍of marginal interest 表示“只有少数人感兴趣的”，英文解释为“of interest to only a few people”如：articles about subjects of marginal interest 话题只有寥寥数人感兴趣的节目。

2）表示“非主体的；边缘的”，英文解释为“not part of a main or important group or situation”如：marginal groups in society 社会中的非主流群体。

“coma”是天文学术语，指彗星（comet）的“彗发”。彗发是围绕彗核（彗星固态核心）的模糊云状结构，由气体和尘埃组成。当彗星接近太阳时，太阳辐射加热彗核，导致冰物质升华（直接从固态变为气态），释放出的气体和尘埃形成彗发。

彗星结构：彗核（nucleus）→ 彗发（coma）→ 彗尾（tail）。

While some experts have suggested the object could be as large as 12 miles (20km) in diameter – bigger than the space rock that wiped out the non-avian dinosaurs – it seems Earth residents do not need to worry.

虽然有专家认为该天体直径可能达到20公里，比导致恐龙灭绝的那颗陨石还要大，但人类似乎不必过于担心。

diameter /daɪˈæm.ɪ.tər/表示“直径；对径”，英文解释为“a straight line going from one side of a circle or any other round object to the other side, passing through the centre”举个🌰：The dome is 42.3 metres in diameter. 这个穹顶直径为42.3米。

补充：

📍radius：a straight line between the centre of a circle and any point on its outer edge; the length of this line 半径（长度）

avian /ˈeɪ.vi.ən/ 表示“（关于）鸟（类）的”，英文解释为“of or relating to birds”

Nasa said: “The comet poses no threat to Earth and will remain at a distance of at least 1.6 astronomical units [about 150m miles].”

NASA表示：“这颗彗星对地球不会构成威胁，与地球将保持至少1.6个天文单位（约1.5亿英里）的距离。”

摆pose这个词大家应该都比较熟悉，作名词，表示“（为拍照、画像等摆出的）样子，姿势”，英文解释为“a particular position in which a person stands, sits, etc. in order to be photographed, painted, etc.”

pose作动词，1）表示“摆好姿势（拍照）”，英文解释为“to move into and stay in a particular position, in order to be photographed, painted, etc.”举个🌰：We all posed for our photographs next to the Statue of Liberty. 我们都在自由女神像边摆好了姿势拍照。

2）表示“造成，引起（尤指问题或困难）”，英文解释为“to cause something, especially a problem or difficulty”举个🌰：Nuclear weapons pose a threat to everyone. 核武器对所有的人都构成了威胁。

3）表示“（尤指在正式场合）提出（问题），质询”，英文解释为“to ask a question, especially in a formal situation such as a meeting”举个🌰：Can we go back to the question that LR posed earlier? 我们能否回到LR早先提出的那个问题上去？

Colin Snodgrass, a professor of planetary astronomy at the University of Edinburgh, said the object could turn out to be smaller.

爱丁堡大学行星天文学教授科林·斯诺德格拉斯（Colin Snodgrass）表示，该天体的实际尺寸可能比目前估计的小。

“Based on the brightness reported in the initial observations, that translates to a 20km asteroid if you assume typical properties, but only if you assume it is an asteroid and not a comet,” he said. “There are reports that it shows a small comet-like tail, so that implies a lot of the brightness will be from the coma (atmosphere) of dust around the object, and it is likely that the solid nucleus is smaller.”

“从初步亮度推算，若假设其为典型小行星，直径可能为20公里左右。但如果它是彗星就不一样了，”他指出，“已有报告称它带有微小彗尾，因此亮度多半来自周围的尘埃彗发，其彗核很可能更小。”

nucleus /ˈnjuː.kli.əs/ 1）表示“原子核”，英文解释为“the central part of an atom, usually made up of protons and neutrons”

2）表示“细胞核”，英文解释为“the part of a cell that controls its growth”举个🌰：DNA is stored in the nucleus of a cell. 脱氧核糖核酸存在于细胞核中。

Nasa said the object would reach its closest approach to the sun around 30 October, coming within about 130m miles of the star – or just within the orbit of Mars. The comet is then expected to leave this solar system and head back out into the cosmos.

NASA表示，该天体将在10月30日左右达到其距离太阳的最近点，距离约1.3亿英里——大致位于火星轨道以内。之后，该彗星预计将离开太阳系，重返浩瀚宇宙。

cosmos /ˈkɒz.mɒs/ 表示“（视作有序体系的）宇宙”，英文解释为“the universe considered as a system with an order and pattern”

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