【歷史頻道】第Ⅱ19集 後院天文學家 觀察行星 History Channel·The Universe·Ⅱ19of19 Backyard.Astronomer.Viewing.The.Planets ★★★★★ 字幕製作：五羊皮 ☆☆☆☆☆
宙
宇
無論你是業餘天文愛好者還是專家 Named after Roman deities, the 8 planets of our Solar System
用羅馬神來命名的 are remarkable sights to see
太陽系的八大行星都是天上的非凡景觀 whether you are a armature astronomer or an expert.
水星墨丘利是羅馬的信使之神 而金星維納斯是羅馬愛神 Mercury, the Roman's messenger god, and Venus, the goddess of love
它們都和我們的月亮一樣有相 have phases just like our moon.
因為水星的軌道離太陽很近 Since Mercury's orbit hugs close to the Sun,
觀測它的最好時間是日出前 或日落後的一小段時間 it is best observed either before sunrise or shortly after sunset.
金星是天上最亮的行星 比許多恆星亮 Venus is the brightest planet in the sky, outshining many stars.
雖然很亮，但觀看者卻看不到金星的地表細節 Despite its visibility, observers are unable to see any surface detail on Venus
因為它有稠密的雲層覆蓋地表 due to the soup-like cloud covering that blankets the planet.
以羅馬戰神馬爾斯命名的火星 Named after the god of war,
因其紅色的光芒而在行星中最容易被看到 Mars is one of the simplest planets to spot because of its brilliant red hue.
它的最主要特點包括白亮的極地冰冠 The most noticeable features on Mars are its polar ice caps which are bright white
和火山活動形成的黑暗的大瑟提斯高原 and Syrtis Major which is one of the darkest and most massive volcanic features on the planet.
木星朱庇特是太陽系的最大行星 Jupiter is the largest planet in our Solar System
在天空中散發出琥珀色的光芒 and its amber hue glows in our night sky.
朱庇特是羅馬的眾神之王 木星有兩條主要的帶狀系統，由旋轉的雲團構成 Named after the king of gods, Jupiter has two main belt systems of swirling clouds
用小型天文望遠鏡即可看到 that are visible with a small telescope.
南北各有一條 One in the north and one in the south.
在南邊的帶的南部邊緣就可以看見大紅斑 The Great Red Spot can also been seen along the southern edge of the south equatorial belt.
土星撒杜恩是農神 也可以用肉眼看見 Saturn, the god of the agriculture, is visible to the naked eye.
但要看見土星的光環 就得用目鏡為40倍 But in order to see its ring system, you must observe the planet with a telescope
的天文望遠鏡 that has a 40 power eyepiece.
天王星和海王星要比其他行星難找得多 Uranus and Neptune are much harder to find than the rest of planets.
以天神烏拉諾斯命名的天王星有淡淡的綠色 Uranus, the god of the heavens, has a slight green tint and Neptune, the god of the sea
而海王星海神尼普頓則是藍色的 用雙筒望遠鏡就可以看見它們 has a blue hue. They can be seen using binoculars.
冥王星距離太陽及其遙遠 Because of its great distance from the Sun,
這顆矮行星被冠以冥界之王普路同的名字 dwarf planet Pluto takes its name from the god of the under world.
得用12英吋的天文望遠鏡才能看到 A 12-inch telescope is needed to see it.
不過就算那樣 它看起來也只是黯淡的一顆小星 But even then, Pluto looks like a tiny star.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 恆星的死亡 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.That.Star.is.Dying
我們的夜空中有億萬 Our night sky is filled with billions of
閃爍的星星 這些遙遠的鑽石看上去安靜祥和 glistening stars. These distant diamonds sparkle with pacifying ambiance.
但在望遠鏡裏，我們就會 發現它們形態種類各異 But through a telescope, we can see that stars are anything but uniform.
有的小到太陽的十分之一 They can be as small as 1/10 the mass of our Sun
有的質量達太陽的40倍 or 40 times as massive.
最大的恆星壽命為一百萬年左右 The most massive starts live for about one million years.
而最小的恆星則可能超過一萬億年 And the smallest have lifespans that can exceed one trillion years.
它們如此長壽 With such long life expectancies,
那我們有生之年還能不能看到恆星的死亡呢？ is it possible to see a star die in our life time?
我們又怎麼知道它什麼時候 與世長辭呢？ How can we tell when star takes its final breathe?
恆星年齡的一條線索 One clue to the age of a star
是它的顏色 is its color.
顏色直接反應溫度 Color relates directly to temperature.
宇宙中最熱的恆星被稱為藍巨星 其次是黃色和白色恆星 The hottest stars in the Universe are called blue giants followed by white and yellow stars.
藍巨星的燃料消耗太快 所以都來不及變老 Blue giants burn out so quickly that they never have a chance to get old.
要知道恆星的壽命還可以看它的大小 Another way to get a sense of a star's age is its size.
像我們的太陽那樣的恆星 死去時會膨脹數千倍 Stars like our sun expand to thousands of times theirs size as they die
同時會冷卻和變紅 cooling and turning red in the process.
最大的紅巨星之一 One of the largest red giants,
是獵戶座α星參宿四 Betelgeuse, in the constellation Orion,
它用肉眼即可觀測到 is visible to the naked eye.
夜空中最有趣的組合中包括雙星系統 Among the most interesting formations to observe in the night sky are binary star systems.
雙星系統也叫雙星 有著有趣的顏色體系 Binary, or double stars, possess intriguing color schemes.
天鵝座β星 Albireo,
輦道增七就是一個雙星系統 located in the constellation Cygnus, is a binary system
一顆是金黃色恆星 in which one star is yellow gold
其伴星為藍色 and its companion star is blue.
用業餘天文望遠鏡或雙筒望遠鏡 With a help of an amateur telescope or binoculars,
就可以清楚地看到它們的顏色對比 their contrasting colors are clearly discernable.
質量為太陽一倍半的恆星年老時 If an aging star is about one and a half times as massive as the Sun,
會在爆炸中死去 it will die in a explosion,
成為超新星 在多數星系中 becoming a supernova. In most galaxies,
每30年會出現一顆超新星 supernovae appear once every 30 years.
在銀河系中很難觀測到它們 In our galaxy, they are difficult to observe
因為多數恆星 because most stars are blanketed
被很厚的氣體和塵埃所遮擋 但一旦有幸看到 by a heavy layer of gas and dust. However, if you are fortunate enough to see one,
會讓你永生難忘 it will be an event you will remember for the rest of your life.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 月相 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Phases.of.the.Moon
數個世紀以來 人們一直對月亮 For centuries, man has been intrigued
的位相變化充滿興趣 by the Moon's changing phase.
它有時高懸 Sometimes it's high in the sky,
有時彷彿彎鉤 some nights it's a sliver.
還有時會消失不見 And other times, it disappear completely.
但它是週期性循環變化的 But this cycle becomes predictable
月相每月重複一次 as the Moon's phrases repeat every month.
古時候，蘇美爾人 The Sumerians,
中國人 Chinese,
和巴比倫人 and Babylonians
都通過月亮的週期變化來確定日期 depended on the Moon's cycle to determine their days,
月份和年份 months and years.
現在月相仍然標誌著猶太人 和穆斯林的節日的開始 And the Moon's phases still mark the beginnings of Jewish and Muslim holidays.
但產生月亮這種變化的原因是什麼呢？ So what causes the Moon to have phases?
為什麼它週而復始從不停歇呢？ Any why is it cycle consistently?
月相就是地球上看到的月球被太陽照明的部分 Phases represent the illuminated portion on the Moon that we see from Earth.
月球繞地球運動 直接被太陽照射的部分 As the Moon begins to orbit her, the Sun's light reflects off the Moon,
反射太陽光而發亮 causing a different portion to glow.
有四種主要月相 The Moon has four main phases.
新月，上弦月 New, first quarter,
滿月和下弦月 full and last quarter.
從一個相位變到下一個大約要一周時間 It takes about one week for the Moon to change from one of these phases to another.
此間要麼是彎月 也就是不到一半 In between, the Moon is either a crescent, which means it's less than half full,
要麼是凸月 就是超過一半 or gibbous, which is more than half full.
月相變大時叫「盈」 When the Moon appears to be growing, we say that it is waxing.
變小時叫「虧」 If it appears to be getting smaller, it is waning.
滿月時 During a full moon
如果月球，地球和太陽 位於一條直線上 if the Moon, Earth and Sun align,
並且月球經過地球產生的陰影時 as the Moon passes through the Earth's shadow,
就會出現月食 a lunar eclipse will occur.
因為月球的軌道與地球有 5度左右的傾斜角 But since the Moon's orbit is inclined about 5 degrees to Earth, the Moon normally passes
月球通常從地球上方或下方通過 觀測月球的最佳時間 either above or below the Earth. The best time to observe
是上弦月或下弦月時 the Moon is during its quarter phases.
此時月面明暗交界線 是月面特徵最突出的地方 Because the terminator, which is the line that separates light from dark, dramatizes the Moon's surface features.
可以觀測到山脈，月坑和懸崖 You'll be able to see mountains, craters and scarps
在那裏產生最強烈的對比和反差 in the most contrast and sharpest relief.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 注視銀河系 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Behold.The.Milky.Way
天空中的銀河裏流淌著無數的星星 The Milky Way is a river of stars that boasts a stellar population
多達一千億到三千億 between 100 and 300 billion.
它十分巨大 其邊緣恆星的光線 It's so immense that light from a single star at one side of the galaxy
得經過10萬年才能到達另一邊 takes 100 thousand years to reach the opposite side.
它的英文名稱「奶路」是指它的外觀 Named after its cream-like appearance,
其學名在希臘語裏有奶和星系兩重意義 the Milky Way is derived from the Greek word "galax" which means both milk and galaxy.
銀河系是個螺旋星系 The Milky Way is a spiral galaxy
是我們地球的所在地 that is home to our Earth.
它的直徑大約10萬光年 With a diameter of about 100 thousand light-years,
地球離星系中心距離差不多2萬6千光年 Earth is located roughly 26 thousand light-years away from the galaxy centre
在獵戶渦臂上 on the Orion spiral arm
因為地球就在銀河系裏面 Because Earth is inside the Milky Way,
我們看到的銀河系並不端正 our view of the galaxy is skewed.
當我們從其中心方向向外看時 銀河系似乎環繞著地球 As we look outward through its disc, the Milky Way appears to encircle the Earth,
它流過一系列星座 passing through a band of constellations
從英僊座開始 beginning with Perseus.
經過僊後座 From Perseus, it wind through Cassiopeia,
天鷹座，射手座和南十字座 Aquila, Sagittarius, and Crux
之後回到英僊座 before joining Perseus again.
銀河系有三個主要部分： There are three main parts to the Milky Way Galaxy:
銀盤，銀暈 the disc, the halo
和突起的銀心 and the galactic bulge.
突起的銀心是星系的中心 The bulge lies in the centre of our galaxy.
這個區域的恆星分佈密度是71BF4419里最大的 This area is the most densely populated star region in the Milky Way.
但從地球上觀看 But from our point of view on Earth,
大部分都藏在許多巨大的塵雲之後 most of it is hidden behind many vast dark clouds of dust.
我們夜晚所見的星星是銀河系的一部分 All the stars we see at night are part of the Milky Way
有數十億顆 and there are billions.
要想盡量多地看到星星 But in order to see the largest amount
一定要遠離大都市 be sure to drive far away from any metropolitan area
那裏的光線會比目標天體亮 because city lights will overpower your observations.
當你遠離地面光源干擾後 Once you are clear of ambient light,
就可以盡情地欣賞 銀河系那無盡的壯美了 you can bask in the infinite splendor that our galaxy has to offer.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 星座 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.The.Constellations
組成星座的兩個拉丁詞根 From the Latin base "co" ,
分別表示「一起」和「星」 together with "stella", means star,
就是星星的組合的意思 the word constellation means a grouping of stars.
就像設計藍圖一樣 Mapped out like a blueprint,
星座是天空中數十億顆星星 組成的各種圖案 constellations are patterns for the billions of stars that are scattered across our sky.
它們來自於以希臘神話中的 Based on mythological stories of
神，怪物和野獸的故事 Greek gods, creatures and animals,
我們天空中的傳說要比 埃及吉薩的文字記載還要多 our heavens have more tales to tell than hieroglyphics at Giza.
星座移動的意義深深地 烙印在希臘文化之中 The meaning in movement of constellations were deeply rooted in Greek culture.
它們之中的獵戶座 Among them, Orion,
是個獵人 the hunter,
被安排和毒蠍子相遇 was sent to have encountered a venomous scorpion.
為了逃命，他跳進了大海 To escape from the creature, he jumped to the sea
當時的希臘人用這來解釋 為什麼獵戶座在11月到3月出現 which, to the Greeks, explained why the constellation Orion appeared from November to March,
而當天蠍座升起後就消失了 but disappeared as Scorpius rose to sting him.
我們在夜空中看到的所有星座 All of the constellations that we see in our night sky
全年都在移動 change positions throughout the year.
為什麼會這樣呢？ Why does this happen?
地球繞地軸自東向西旋轉 The Earth spins on its axis moving east to west.
所以在我們看來 所有天體每天都是東昇西落 So objects appear to rise in the east and set in the west each day from our vantage point.
隨著地球繞太陽旋轉 我們在夜空中會看到不同的星座 As Earth continues its pass around the Sun, different constellations become visible at night
而太陽也似乎出現在天空中的不同部分 as the Sun appears to be in different parts of the sky,
國際天文聯合會確認的 星座共有88個 There are a total of 88 recognized constellations by the IAU,
有12個黃道星座 12 of which are zodiacs.
這12個黃道星座與 其他76個星座不同 Zodiac constellations differ from the rest of the 76
因為它們穿過黃道 because they cross the path of ecliptic
黃道是我們8972E2A8里 行星每年運行的軌道 which is the path that our Solar System's planets travel along each year.
因為這些星座被看做 「受太陽恩典」 Because these constellations were so-called "touched by the Sun",
古巴比倫天文學家認為 它們的意義非常重要 Babylonian astronomers thought they were of significant importance.
觀看星座時別忘了帶上 一本好的神話書 While viewing constellations, make sure to bring a great mythology book,
你會讀到那些傳說中的 英雄事跡和悲劇故事 so that you can read that many tales of heroism and tragedy
就是這些故事讓它們在 天空中有了一席之地 that these legends endowed and ordered to earn their place among our heavens.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 用星空導航 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Navigating.by.the.stars
在我們生活的時代，高科技設備 可以在我們迷路時幫我們指明方向 We live in an age in which high tech devices are programmed to find our way when we are lost.
全球定位系統毫無疑問 是妙用無窮 GPS is no doubt a wonderful and incredibly useful tool to have.
可是一旦它壞了你會怎麼辦？ 你會不會被無助的困在那裏寸步難行？ But what if your device breaks? Would you be stranded, immobilized and helpless?
還是你能自己找回家？ Or would you be able to find your way back home?
我們的先輩可沒有我們的科技幫助 Our ancestors didn't have our technological luxuries,
他們要靠大自然來導航 so they had to navigate the natural way.
他們參考星星 把它們看成天空中的地圖 They consulted the stars using the heavens as their celestial map.
他們注意到星座 在天空中移動 They noticed that constellations seem to move across the sky.
通過瞭解各個星座 會在何時何地出現 By recognizing when and where each constellation appeared
他們就可以辨明東南西北 They used stars to decipher north, east, south and west.
當然星座不會動 是我們在動 Stars don't really move, though, we do.
這種錯覺是因為地球在黃道上運行 的同時繞地軸自轉 The illusion occurs because Earth rotates on its axis as it moves along the ecliptic.
這過程不僅形成了 我們所說的年 This revolution not only creates our year,
它也是星座逐月變化的原因 it is the reason why constellations appear to change from month to month.
但是也有幾顆星星 There are a few stars, however,
不管是哪個月份 在天空中的位置都不變 that remain stationary in our sky no matter what month.
小熊座α星，也就是北極星 便是其中之一 Polaris, commonly called "the north star", is one of them.
如果你找到小熊座 If you locate the constellation Ursa Minor,
就會看見常年在北極附近的北極星 you'll see that Polaris lies near the North Pole year-round,
你從來感覺不到它的移動 為什麼會這樣呢？ never visibly moving. So why does this happen?
地球就像個陀螺儀 地軸總是指向同一方向 Like a gyroscope, the Earth's axis always points the same direction.
而北極星就在它所指向的位置附近 Polaris happens to be very close the Earth's axis point.
隨著對星座移動的瞭解 By becoming to be familiar with the movement of constellations
和對天空中最重要的星星的認知 and by recognizing the most prominent stars in the sky,
人們不用指南針和地圖就可以知道 you'll be able to tell what month it is and which direction you are facing
所處何月 面向何方 without the assistance of a compass or a map.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 觀看日食 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Viewing.A.Solar.Eclipses
縱觀歷史，日食往往與重大事件相聯繫 Throughout history, solar eclipses have accompanied events of great magnitude:
亨利國王的死，君士坦丁堡的陷落 還有可能有耶穌的受刑 King Henry's death, the fall of Constantinople and possibly the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
當日食在大白天 將周圍帶進黑暗時 When the Sun unexpectedly eclipsed to darkness in broad daylight,
有人認為是神的旨意 也有人當做是戰爭結束的預兆 some thought they were divine omens while the others feared the end of the war was near.
它到底是什麼？ So what is this phenomenon?
又為什麼會發生？ And why does it happen?
日食發生時太陽，月亮和地球排成一線 Solar eclipses take place when the Sun, Moon and Earth align.
這只會出現在滿月和新月時 [解說錯誤，日食只在新月時有] This occurs when the Moon, either in its full or new phase,
月球穿過地球軌道 擋住太陽 crosses Earth orbit and blocks the Sun.
日食共有三種 There are three types of solar eclipses:
日全食，日環食和日偏食 full, annular and partial.
日全食在太陽被月球完全擋住時才發生 Full eclipses occur when the Moon completely blocks the Sun.
用肉眼盯著甚至只是看看 日食中的太陽都會造成視覺損傷 Staring or even looking directly at an eclipsed Sun with the naked eye will cause instant eye damage.
所以一定有帶上專用的日食觀測用具 So it's imperative to wear glasses that are specially designed for viewing eclipses.
在當地賣相機和望遠鏡的太陽濾光片的商店 You can purchase these along with solar filters for cameras and binoculars
就能買到它們 at your local telescope shop.
日全食會持續幾個小時 A full or total solar eclipse lasts a few hours
但食甚只有1到5分鐘 but totality lasts from just one to five minutes.
食甚時，天空會全部暗下來 太陽的日冕像光暈一樣圍在月亮四周 During totality, the sky darkens and the Sun's corona shines like a luminous white halo behind the Moon.
只有這時觀看者才能安全地 不用太陽濾光片和護目鏡而用肉眼觀看 This is the only time when it's safe for observers to view an eclipse without sun filters and protective eye gear
因為太陽在這時已被月球完全擋住 because the Sun is completely blocked by the Moon.
日食在地球上可分成本影和半影 A solar eclipse has two parts: the umbra and the penumbra.
本影是月球擋住太陽形成的黑影 The umbra is the dark shadow that is created when our Moon eclipses the Sun.
在地球上有大約170英里寬 It casts a shadow on Earth that is about 170 miles wide.
半影是有部分光通過的影區 The penumbra is a eclipse's secondary shadow
在本影周圍幾千英里 and it covers a few thousand miles on each side of the umbra.
要想看到日全食或日環食 就必須得在本影經過的地方 In order to see a full or annular eclipse, you must be standing under the umbra's path.
而在其附近 If you are near but not on this path,
就只能看見日偏食 you'll only see a partial eclipse.
觀看日食的時候 要記得我們在宇宙中的位置非常獨特 If you are able to view a solar eclipse, you'll know that our position in the Universe is incredibly unique
我們的月球是整個太陽系 所有衛星中 Our Moon is the only moon in the entire Solar System
唯一一個可以完全遮擋太陽的 that eclipses the Sun perfectly.
也正因為生活在地球上 我們才得以看到這壯美的景象 By living on Earth, we have the perfect view to witness a truly spectacular occurrence.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 觀看小行星和隕星 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Seeing.Asteroids.&.Meteors
流星可以在任何時間或地點發生 A shooting star can happen at any time or place.
一旦流星劃過天際 場面很美 When you see one, it can be quite a sight.
流星其實根本不是星星 Shooting stars are actually not stars at all.
它們是隕星 They are meteors.
當隕星從天上落下時 When meteors descend from the heavens,
與大氣層劇烈的摩擦 the intense friction against Earth's atmosphere
使得下落物體發光 causes the free falling objects to ignite.
所以我們就能看到明亮的光劃過天空 We can see a bright light straight across the sky.
雖然隕星飛過時看上去又大又亮 它們大多只有沙粒大小 Although meteors appear large and brilliant in their flight, most are about the size of a grain of sand,
但它們的時速高達16萬英里 except that this grain barrels through the sky at 160,000 miles per hour.
要知道，子彈時速也不過只有2240英里 By comparison, a bullet travels at 2,240 miles per hour.
速度是讓隕星看起來 比實際更大的原因 Speed is what causes meteors to appear more massive than they actually are.
這對小行星來說也一樣 The same can be said for asteroids,
只是小行星很難見到 except that the probability of seeing a asteroid is rare
它們的軌道多數都在火星和木星之間 since the majority orbit in a belt between the Mars and Jupiter.
如果一顆小行星被推出其軌道 而飛向地球 If an asteroid is pushed out of its orbit and crosses its path with the Earth,
這塊石頭會像隕星一樣 衝進我們的大氣層 a flying piece of rock will into our atmosphere like a meteor.
最壯觀的隕星表演就是流星雨 The most spectacular meteor displays occur during a shower
每小時能有150到200顆 隕星穿過天空 where fifteen to two hundred meteors pierce through sky every hour.
那流星雨又是怎麼回事？ So what are meteor showers and why do they occur?
流星雨是由彗星的冰質碎片構成 Meteor showers are comprised of icy debris from comets.
彗星就像是髒雪球 Comets are similar to dirty frozen snow balls.
在環繞太陽旋轉時 When they orbit the Sun,
其表層冰融化 some of their exterior ice melts
在天空中留下一條顆粒帶 creating a stream of particles in the sky.
如果地球穿過其顆粒 所在位置 If Earth travels through the particles path,
我們就能看到流星雨 you will see a meteor shower.
如果要想熬夜看流星雨 If you decide to stay up to watch a meteor shower,
可得找個遠離大城市的地方 make sure you choose a spot away from a large city.
這樣才能躲開城市的喧囂 看到天空中的盛大表演 That way, you'll be sure to see all the sky has to offer without repeating a life from a metropolis.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 一月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.January
我們的後院天文學家又要開始 新一年的星空觀測了 A new year of star gazing possibilities await a backyard astronomer.
在冬季裏，包括一月份，有很多顆 亮星很容易用肉眼觀測 January, and winter in general, offers many bright stars easily visible to the naked eye.
在西南方找到天狼星 Locate Sirius in the southwest.
應該不難 天狼星是最亮的恆星 It should be easy. Sirius is the brightest star of them all.
它的英文名字就來自希臘詞「燒焦」 In fact, its name comes from the Greek word "scorching".
找到了天狼星 If you have found Sirius,
就找到了一個著名星座 you have also found a well known constellation.
天狼星常被叫做「犬星」 就在大犬座的頭部 Sirius, often called "the dog star", resides near the head of Canis Major,
這個星座是獵戶座獵人的一條獵犬 one of Orion's hunting dogs.
通過雙筒望遠鏡 With the aid of binoculars,
可以看到M41星團 you should able to locate the star cluster, M41,
就在天狼星下方 just below Sirius.
M41由一組80多顆遙遠的恆星組成 M41 is made up of a family of 80 distant stars.
北半球的業餘天文學家們 Backyard astronomers in the northern hemisphere
可能會看見象限儀座流星雨 其極大值一般在一月三日或四日 may catch a glimpse of the Quadrantids meteor shower which generally peaks around the 3rd or 4th of the month.
該流星雨的輻射點在 牧夫座的北部附近 The shower's radiant is located near the northern section of the constellation Bootes, or "the herdsman".
這樣較小的流星雨一般 在午夜後的觀測效果最好 Traditionally, a minor shower, look for the best result after midnight.
一月還是觀測一個 最為著名的疏散星團 Finally, January is a good time to examine one of the most famous open star clusters,
昴星團的好時機，它也叫「七姊妹」 the Pleiades, otherwise known as "the seven sisters".
用雙筒望遠鏡就可以分辨出這7顆恆星 With binoculars, you should be able to make out the seven different stars.
昴星團就位於頭上的金牛座裏 The Pleiades rest within the constellation Taurus, or "the bull", over head.
牛頭裏那明亮的紅色星星是顆紅巨星 Bright red star within the head of "the bull" is the red giant,
那是畢宿五，英文名意為「追隨者」 Aldebaran,
是夜空中最亮的星星之一 one of the brightest stars in the night sky.
在金牛座的牛角之間可以找到蟹狀星雲 Travel up between the horns of "the bull" and you will see the Crab Nebular,
這可能是夜空中被研究 和拍攝得最多的天體 perhaps one of the most heavily studied and photographed objects in the night sky.
觀看夜空時不要忘了 月光會掩蓋遠方物體 When viewing the night sky, always remember that the Moon's light'll wash out distant objects.
天空越黑時觀測這些星團 和恆星的效果越好 These clusters and stars are best enjoyed when the sky is as dark as possible.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 二月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.February
二月的英文源自拉丁文 February takes its name from the Latin term "februum"
意為「淨化」 which means purify.
這很恰當，因為二月的星空清澈明快 This is apt as February's night sky is all cool, crisp and clear,
有著全年最佳的一些天際景觀 providing some of the year's best celestial viewing.
我們先從容易的開始 Let's start with something easy.
冬季星空中的銀河 In the winter month, the Milky Way,
像淡淡的白色絲帶升到天際 a faint white ribbon ascending into the sky,
穿過北部天球 is situated across the northern hemisphere.
可以用肉眼觀測 It should be visible with the naked eye
當然得在夠暗的地區 providing that you are in a secluded dark area.
通過雙筒望遠鏡可以看到 數百顆位於銀河內的星星 With the aid of binoculars, hundreds of actual stars inside the Milky Way can be seen.
銀河的東邊 To the easy of the Milky Way
是獵戶座 is the constellation Orion.
找到他腰帶上的三顆星星 Look for the three stars that make up his belt.
獵戶座的西邊 Just to the west of Orion
是麒麟座 is the constellation Monoceros,
是一個獨角獸 "the unicorn".
該星座內有一個著名星團 Residing within is a noticeable star cluster.
位於獨角獸的下巴下面 Just under the unicorn's chin
的是玫瑰星雲 is the Rossette Nebular.
用雙筒望遠鏡就可以很容易地 看到裏面的大約30顆恆星 It is a cluster of about 30 stars and should be easily seen with binoculars.
後院天文學家在二月 February also provides the backyard astronomer
還能看到兩個星群 the opportunity to view two asterisms,
星群是星星的組合但並非正式的星座 simple groupings of stars that are not official constellations,
這兩個星群是「冬季三角形」和「冬季六邊形」 "the winter triangle" and "the winter hexagon".
[影片錯誤，畫面中一直是五邊形] [少了下方獵戶座參宿七]
從天空中最亮的恆星天狼星開始 Start with the brightest star in the sky, Sirius,
向上到另一顆亮星 travel upward to another bright star,
小犬座α星南河三 再到雙子座β星北河三 Procyon, continue on to Gemini's Pollux,
再橫著來到御夫座α星五車二 向下去到畢宿五 then, cut cross to Capella, and then down to Aldeberan,
要完成這個六邊形 The hexagon is completed
只要連到獵戶座β星參宿七 by connecting Aldeberan to the star Rigel,
最後再回到天狼星就行了 Finally back to Sirius.
在這閃耀的六邊形裏還有 But there's more, shining in the middle of the hexagon,
獵戶座α星參宿四 is the star Betelgeuse.
將它跟天狼星和南河三相連 Connect Betelgeuse to Sirius and Procyon
就是冬季三角形 and you have formed "the winter triangle".
真是一舉兩得 Two asterisms for the price of one.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 三月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.March
春季就要來了 With spring just around the corner,
壯麗的冬季星座開始西沉 winter's dazzling constellations from the west
讓路給東方不那麼引人注目的星座 begin to make way for the less notable constellations from the east.
但是長蛇座還是值得一看的 Worth checking out, however,
它是夜空裏最大的星座 is Hydra, the largest constellation in the night sky.
因為它巨大無比 Hydra is massive,
所以很難一下全部看到 making it difficult to see all at once.
對它最好是一塊一塊地看 It is best viewed piece by piece.
要找它 To find it,
先在南邊找到天狼星 look to the south and spot Sirius,
夜空中最亮的恆星 the night sky's brightest star,
天狼星上面有另一顆亮星南河三閃耀 look above Sirius to another luminous star, Procyon,
再往上是一小簇肉眼可見的星星 just above that is a small cluster of stars all bright enough to see with the naked eye.
它們構成了蛇頭 These make up the snake's head.
先在沿著它的身體 Now, work your way down his body
來到長蛇座最亮的那顆星 長蛇座α星星宿一 to the star Alphard which is the brightest star in Hydra.
黃道上最有名氣的星座之一的雙子座 One of the most famous of the zodiac constellations, Gemini,
在三月也很容易看到 is quite visible in March.
雙子座在五車二和南河三之間 Look for Gemini between the stars Capella and Procyon,
長蛇座的東邊 just east of the constellation Hydra.
是天上的「孿生兄弟」 Often called "the twins",
雙子座的兩顆亮星 Gemini features two bright stars of its own:
卡斯托(北河二) 和普爾尤克斯(北河三) Castor and Pollux,
是友愛的兩兄弟的名字 which are also the names of the twin brothers.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 四月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.April
春天來了 With spring officially underway,
四月可能會多雨 April can be a rainy month.
而且四月還會帶來另一種雨 But April also brings us a shower of another kind.
天琴座流星雨 The Lyrids meteor shower,
在19日到24日之間可以看到 which can be seen around the 19th through the 24th.
多數專家認為22日是極大日 Most experts point to the 22nd as the peak day for meteor activity during the shower
最佳觀測時間是凌晨兩點以後 with optimal viewing conditions starting after 2:00am.
天琴座流星雨的輻射點 The Lyrids emerge from their radiant,
織女星位於天琴座內 天琴座是一把七絃琴 Vega, located within the constellation Lyra, "the harp".
織女星在夜空的東部非常好找 Vega is easy to spot in the eastern sky.
它是一顆非常亮的藍白色恆星 It's a extremely bright bluish white star
離我們25光年 located 25 light-years away.
通常天琴座流星雨在極大日時 每小時不超過10到20顆 The Lyrids normally yield no more than 10 to 20 meteors a hour at its peak,
但記載中也有更高記錄 though heavier showers have been recorded.
四月的夜空中 明亮的大角星高懸頭上 The bright star, Arcturus, shines over head in April.
它是牧夫座裏最亮的 It is by far the brightest star in the constellation Bootes
也是全天第三亮的恆星 ant the 3rd brightest in the night sky.
大角星的名字在希臘語裏 是「熊守護者」 The name Arcturus is derived from the Greek term for "bear guard".
而牧夫座就緊緊挨著大熊座和小熊座 This is a reference to Bootes' close proximity to constellations Ursa Major and Ursa Minor,
傳說中變成熊的母子 "the big bear" and "the little bear".
仔細觀察大熊座 Take a closer look at Ursa Major,
構成它尾巴和後腿的星星 是天上最有名的星群之一 the stars that make up its tail and hind quarters are actually one of the most well-known star formations,
「大勺子」【就是北斗七星】 "the big dipper".
而小熊座裏則有一個 As for Ursa Minor, he is also known as, that's right,
「小勺子」 "the little dipper".
要想更清晰地欣賞它們 In order to enjoy these sights with more clarity,
就讓眼睛多適應一會兒 give your eyes time to adjust.
健康的視網膜可能得要45分鐘才能適應黑暗 It can take a healthy retina as much as 45 minutes to adapt to the dark.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 五月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.May
五月的英文名稱來自「邁婭」 May takes its name from "Maia",
古希臘神話中的豐饒女神 the Greek goddess of fertility.
仲春之際，日落時分 天空就像豐饒的大地 Spring is in bloom, and as the Sun sets, the night sky becomes fertile ground
天上的奇景競相開放 for celestial wonders.
哈雷彗星經過太陽系時 As Halley's comet passes through our Solar System,
它所留下的塵粒形成兩場流星雨 it releases particles that cause two different meteor showers.
獵戶座流星雨在十月 The Orionids shower that occurs in October.
另一個是寶瓶座η流星雨 The other shower the Eta Aquarids
每年從4月21日開始到5月12日落幕 can be seen every year starting around April 21st and wrap around the 12th of May.
最大日通常在5日或6日 Peak activity generally falls on the 5th or 6th.
要獲得最佳觀測條件 在日出之前 For the best viewing conditions, get to a viewing point
4點左右時到觀測地點 before sunrise around 4:00am.
這個流星雨得名於寶瓶座 Eta Aquarids take its name from Aquarius,
它的輻射點就在寶瓶座附近 the constellation nearest to its point of origin.
要想看到這場流星雨 Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the shower
要先在天上找到寶瓶座 should first locate Aquarius in the night sky.
這個被稱為「盛水者」的星座並不容易定位 Also known as "the water bearer", Aquarius is often difficult to zero in on
因為它是由一些較小的比較暗的星星組成 due to the fact that it is made up entirely of smaller, dimmer stars.
不過如果你在南天上尋找 水桶或甕的形狀 But if you look for a bucket or urn shape in the southern sky,
也許會能找到 you can just about make it out.
球狀星團是聚成球形的一群恆星 Globular clusters are spherical groupings of stars
它們繞一個共同的重心旋轉 rotating around a common centre of gravity.
在夜空中可以看到很多這樣的星團 Many of these clusters can be seen in the night sky.
最好看的大概就是半人馬座ω球狀星團 The best of them may be Omega Centauri.
這個球狀星團因其附近的半人馬座而得名 Omega Centauri takes its name from the nearby constellation Centaurus.
也叫NGC5139 Also known as NGC5139,
它在南天可以很容易用肉眼看到 Omega Centauri is easily seen in the south with the naked eye.
它看起來像一小團雲 有時會被混為彗星 It resembles a small cloud and sometimes confused with a comet.
這個星團有數百萬顆恆星 Omega Centauri contains millions of stars
在相互交錯的軌道上 繞它們的公共重心旋轉 swirling in locked orbits around a common centre of gravity
距離地球有一萬五千光年 located 15 thousand light-years away from the Earth.
是C98C5242里最大的星團 It is the largest globular cluster associated with the Milky Way.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 六月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.June
要是喜歡流星雨的話 六月會讓你失望 Fans of meteor showers will be disappointed in June.
但是天空中還是可以看到 However, the backyard astronomer will still find
其他的有趣的星團 clusters of interesting sights.
武僊座代表的赫拉克勒斯 是希臘神話裏最了不起的英雄之一 One of the mightiest characters in Greek mythology was Hercules.
夜空中最壯觀的星團之一 Appropriately one of the mightiest globular clusters in the night sky,
M13就在武僊座裏 六月裏整月可見 M13, can be seen within the constellation Hercules throughout June.
武僊座在地平線上很高處 Hercules can be spotted high above the horizon
用肉眼就可以看到 and it is bright enough to be seen with the naked eye.
先找到構成他下半身的小方塊就行 Start with the basic square shape that makes up his lower body,
在六月裏還有一個著名星座 是一定要看的，就是天蠍座 Another notable constellation, Scorpius, is a must-see in June
它的附近有另外兩個著名星團 as two additional impressive star clusters reside nearby.
M6和M7也都可以用肉眼看到 M6 and M7 are visible with the naked eye,
但最好有天文望遠鏡或雙筒望遠鏡來觀測 but best viewed with a telescope or binoculars.
據估計，M6的年齡為五千萬到一億年 M6 is estimated to 50 to 100 million years old.
M7可能是天空中最具明顯的星團 M7 is perhaps the most dominant star cluster in the sky.
它主要是由藍色恆星構成 It is prominently made up of bluish glowing stars
直徑有25光年 and spans a distance of 25 light-years across.
M7共包括100顆恆星 M7 contains 100 stars in all
年齡為兩千萬年 and the cluster itself is 200 million years old.
要找到天蠍座和這些閃亮天體 只要向南天看 To find Scorpius and its luminous objects, just look to the southern sky
找到天蠍座的最亮星星心宿二即可 and find Scorpius' brightest star, Antares.
心宿二是我們星系裏最大的恆星 Antares is the largest star in our stellar system.
它的確大得很 And this is a big star.
來打個比方 To put into perspective,
把心宿二放到太陽系中央 if Antares was dropped down into the centre of our Solar System,
它會吞沒水星，金星，地球和火星 都幾乎要到木星了 it would engulf Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars and almost reach Jupiter.
觀看心宿二時要記住 它在未來的某一天會更亮 As you observe Antares, consider that it will someday be even brighter.
它已經接近生命的尾聲 It's near the end of its lifespan
將會爆炸成超新星 and it will eventually explode in a supernova.
當然還得等大概一百萬年 Of course, that won't happen in a million years or so.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 七月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.July
進入盛夏 Summer is in full swing.
很多人喜歡看焰火 And while most people are looking forward to firework's displays,
後院天文學家則要觀看 夜空中的自然奇觀 the backyard astronomer yearly anticipates the natural wonders of the night sky.
沿著天空中的銀河 Follow the stream of the Milky Way,
會在盾牌座中看到這麼一簇星星 and you'll find this cluster of stars resting in the constellation Scutum.
M11，也叫野鴨星團 M11, aka, "the wild duck".
在天文望遠鏡的幫助下 With the aid of a telescope,
可以看到裏面的很多星星 one can see many stars within.
因為這些恆星排列很密 And due to the compact spacing of these stars,
用雙筒望遠鏡也能很容易就看到 the cluster is easily observed with binoculars.
它的年齡大概是兩億兩千萬年 It is estimated to be 220 million years old
好像沒人知道它為什麼被叫做野鴨星團 though no one seems to know why it is called "the wild duck".
也許以前的觀測者認為它像一群野鳥 Perhaps an early observer felt that it resembled a flock of wild bird.
後院天文學家在夏天可以看到 During the summer months, backyard astronomers can observe what is called
「夏季大三角」 "the summer triangle".
它是北天上三顆最亮的星星在頭上組成的形狀 It is a pattern of three of the brightest stars that reside high over head in the northern hemisphere:
天津四，織女星和牛郎星 Deneb, Vega and Altair.
但是「夏季大三角」並非正式星座 However, "the summer triangle" is not in official constellation.
它是一個星群 instead, it is referred to as an asterism.
有些星群很方便在觀看星空時確定方位 Some asterisms come in handy when trying to orientate yourself while star gazing.
例如「夏季大三角」就能讓 我們輕鬆地找到三個星座 In this case, "the summer triangle" conveniently connects three different constellations:
天津四在天鵝座裏 Deneb from Cygnus, "the swan",
織女星在天琴座 Vega from Lyra, "the harp",
最亮的牛郎星則在天鷹座裏 and the brightest of the three, Altair, from Aquila, "the eagle".
【宇宙】後院天文學家 八月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.August
英僊座流星雨可說是每年最穩定 出現的流星雨之一，幾乎從來沒有缺席過 Perhaps the most constantly impressive meteor shower every year is the Perseids.
這個流星雨從七月開始 但極大日一般在八月中旬 This shower begins in July, but peak activity usually falls around mid-August.
這些燃燒的顆粒來自斯威夫特-塔特爾彗星 These blazing particles are released from the comet, Swift-Tuttle.
它們以13萬2千英里的時速 衝進地球的大氣層 And they sail into Earth's atmosphere traveling as fast as 132,000 mile a hour.
結果就是這個壯麗的流星雨 The result can be an impressive show.
該流星雨因其輻射點 Their name, of course, is taken from the constellation Perseus
在英僊座內而得名 in which the shower's radiant resides.
英僊座是殺死蛇發女妖美杜莎的英雄 帕修斯的星座，它就在東北 Look for Perseus, the hero remembered for slaying Medusa, in the northeast.
知道不用熬夜到天明就能看到這個流星雨 Some will be relieved to know that this shower doesn't require the backyard astronomer
很多人都會鬆一口氣 to stay up until the wee hours of the morning to appreciate it.
雖然整夜可見 但其最盛時一般是凌晨兩點 However, while the shower is visible throughout the night, peak activity will be around 2:00am.
八月也是觀測礁湖星雲的好時機 August is also a good time to observe the Lagoon Nebula,
它就位於射手座裏 which resides in the constellation Sagittarius, "the archer".
肉眼勉強可以看見 最好借助天文望遠鏡 Just barely visible to the naked eye, the view is enhanced through binoculars.
它看上去像一小塊雲 前面有一個星團在閃爍 It should appear as a cloudy patch with a star cluster glimmering in front of it.
射手座就在北天銀河的旁邊 Look for Sagittarius in the northern hemisphere floating alongside the Milky Way.
「山羊」摩羯座之西 It resides between Capricornus, "the goat", in the east
「持蛇人」蛇夫座之東 and Ophiuchus, "the serpent handler" in the west.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 九月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.September
秋天就快到了 Fall looms just around the corner.
但九月份還會有幾個暖和的夜晚 But September still has a few warmer nights in store
剛好來看星星 perfect for star gazing.
夜晚越來越長 觀看星空的時間就更充裕 The nights are getting longer providing the backyard astronomer with ample time.
在北天上 In the northern sky,
銀河流過幾顆呈「W」形的明亮星星 the Milky Way flows into a W-shaped cluster of bright stars.
它們構成了「王后」僊後座 Together they form Casseopia, "the Queen".
更美的是裏面的啞鈴星雲 又稱M27星雲 A better bet is the Dumbbell Nebula, officially known as M27.
1764年，法國天文學家查爾斯 梅西耶首次觀測到它 This was the first planetary nebula found by Charles Messier in 1764.
在很多深空天體的名字裏 It is his name that the M stands for
字母M就來自他的姓 in most deep space object designations.
M27的有趣形狀引人入勝 M27 is notable for its curious shape
業餘天文愛好者要找到它也不難 and because it can be found by casual astronomers with little difficulty.
用雙筒望遠鏡就行 The shape can often be made out with binoculars
它位於狐貍座中 inside the constellation Vulpecula, "the fox",
而狐貍座就在夏季大三角內 which in turn can be found in middle of "the summer triangle".
要想觀測M27那樣的深空天體 Viewing deep space objects like M27,
必須選好地點 requires a good location.
理想地點應該 有360度的天空視野 An ideal spot provides a 360 degrees view of the sky.
林中空地或田野都行 A forest clearing or field will do,
周圍最好有樹木 but it is advantageous to find an area with trees nearby to create a wind block.
即可擋風又可以防止人造光線干擾 This will keep breeze and artificial light out of your eyes.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 十月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.October
十月總讓人想到萬聖節的嚇人景象 October will for ever be associated with the frightful sights of Halloween.
但這個月的星空可遠不止有鬼怪和巫婆 But this month, the night sky offers the backyard astronomer more to see than just ghosts and witches.
在前兩周的凌晨時分向東看 Through the first couple of weeks, look to the east in the early morning hours 【此象乃「三星伴月」】
可以看見金星，土星 to see Venus, Saturn,
和軒轅十四在天空中形成的明亮組合 and the star, Regulus, form a bright grouping in the night sky.
軒轅十四是獅子座裏最亮的星星 Regulus is the brightest star in the constellation Leo, "the lion". 【黎明時人能看到新月，且金、土、軒轅十四接近新月的日子，才見「三星伴月」，較罕見之天象。若加上火星則是更罕見的「四星伴月」。所以這是影片製作那年的「恰巧」。 那年頭哈密大說：「外國月亮比中國的月亮亮」，畫面裏俺沒看到「外國滴亮月亮」!實景？哈!好像動畫PS滴木做好？】
我們先看一下另一個星座 But let's turn our attention to another constellation,
獵戶座 Orion.
在西南天找到一條短斜線 Look for a short diagonal line in the southeast,
那是獵人的腰帶 these form Orion's belt.
從那裏向南是淡一些的一排星星 Jutting south from that is a fainter line of stars,
那是獵人的劍 Orion's sword.
其中的一顆星其實不是恆星 而是獵戶座大星雲 One of these stars is in fact not a star at all, but rather the Orion Nebula,
它是氣體和塵埃形成的雲 被它所含的年輕恆星照亮 a cloud of gases and debris illuminated by smaller stars within.
這個月中 During this month,
獵戶座還是一個流星雨的輻射點 Orion will serve as the launching pad for an awesome light show:
那就是獵戶座流星雨 the Orionids.
流星雨看起來在天空中的發源處 The point from which the shower appears to originate
叫輻射點 is called the radiant.
獵戶座流星雨的輻射點在獵戶座東邊 The Orionids' radiant is just east of the constellation
獵人的胳膊附近 near Orion's arm.
這個流星雨持續整個十月 直到十一月上旬 This meteor shower occurs throughout October into early November,
極大日在21日或22日 but peaks around October 21st and 22nd.
在其最盛時每小時能看到60顆流星 At its peak, an observer may see as many as 60 meteors per hour.
形成該流星雨的碎片 The falling debris that makes up the shower
來自彗星1/P哈雷 actually originates from the comet 1/P Halley,
也就是哈雷彗星 better known as Halley's Comet
最後一次出現是1986年 which was last seen in 1986.
要再見到哈雷彗星還得大約54年 Since we won't be seeing Halley again for about 54 years,
獵戶座流星雨起碼 讓我們能見到它的顆粒 the Orionids offer a chance for the backyard astronomer to at least see particles of the fabled comet.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 十一月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.November
觀星者和後院天文學家 Star gazers and backyard astronomers
都會對十一月心懷感激 will have much to be thankful for in November
因為夜空中會有不少美景 as the night sky offers a bounty of sights.
獅子座流星雨 The Leonids meteor shower
因其輻射點的位置得名 take their name from the location of their radiant,
輻射點就是流星雨在天上 看起來發源的地方 the point in the sky from which the meteors seem to originate.
這個流星雨的輻射點剛好在獅子座裏 This meteor shower's radiant happens to be within the constellation Leo,
所以叫獅子座流星雨 hence Leonids.
獅子座春天時位於北天 更易於觀測 Leo is best seen in the spring where it's found in the northern sky.
但在十一月份它位於南方 But in November, you'll spot it residing in the south.
多數專家認為18日是其極大日 Many experts expect the 18th of November to be the best night to view the Leonids.
建議等到凌晨一點月落後觀測 It is recommended that you wait until after 1:00am and allow the Moon to set,
那時天會黑下來 盡情眺望獅子座方向來欣賞吧 darkening the sky, turn your attention to the area around Leo and enjoy.
疏散星團昴星團 The open star cluster Pleiades
也叫「七姐妹」是十一月星空中最重要的星群 or "the seven sisters" is a prominent November star formation
用肉眼很容易看到 and should be easily seen with the naked eye.
不遠處，在銀河裏 Not far away, within the Milky Way,
可以看到雙重星團 the backyard astronomer can observe the double cluster
構成它的兩個星團是 made up of two star clusters:
【星雲星團】新總表(NGC) 869 NGC 869
和NGC 884 and NGC 884.
這個雙重星團就在英僊座帕修斯的頭部 The double cluster can be seen within the head of the constellation Perseus.
【宇宙】後院天文學家 十二月星空 The Universe·Backyard.Astronomer.Night.Sky.December
要是你錯過了獵戶座流星雨 和獅子座流星雨的話 In case you missed the Orionids and Leonids meteor showers,
十二月會給你最後一次機會 December provides one last chance for a show.
雙子座流星雨會在13日和14日達到極大 The Geminid meteor shower peaks on the nights of the 13th and 14th.
向北天觀看 Look for it in the northeastern sky
輻射點就在雙子座內 originating from the Gemini Constellation.
凌晨兩點左右最佳 You can expect the shower to be strongest around 2:00am.
朝西北天高處看 就在僊後座上面 Look high into the northwestern sky above Cassiopeia, "the queen",
就能看到明亮的 shining brightly in the night sky
壁宿二 are the stars Alpheratz,
奎宿九和天大將軍一 Mirach and Almaak.
它們共同構成了僊後座「王后」的女兒 Together they help to form Cassiopeia's daughter,
安德羅墨達，僊女座 Andromeda.
在她的胳膊下面 Look under her arm,
能夠看到一個用她命名的星系 you should be able to make out a galaxy bearing her name.
僊女座星系 The Andromeda Galaxy.
離我們250萬光年 At 2.5 million light-years away,
它是離銀河系最近的星系 it is the closest galaxy to our own Milky Way.
要想看得更清楚些 If you wanna a closer look,
只要再等上30億年 stick around for another 3 billion years.
有些專家認為 Some experts speculate
那時這兩個星系會相撞 that the two galaxies will collide within that time.
在這個吵鬧忙碌的節日所在月份 With the hustle and bustle of a holiday season,
凝視星空會帶來難得的 平靜與安寧 the backyard astronomer can find solace and peace gazing into the clear winter skies.
但在十二月觀看星空並不輕鬆 因為天氣很冷 But December can be a challenge due to its cold temperatures.
所以一定要多穿些來保暖 So dress warmly if you set out to view the stars.
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