Astronomers using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and the Very Large Array radio telescope in New Mexico have discovered the remains of a supernova, known as "G.19", which must have lit up our galaxy with a bright flash of light about 140 years ago.
天文学家们利用美国宇航局在NM的钱德勒X射线天文台和巨型射波望远镜发现了"G.19"超新星的遗骸. 这个超新星用140年前璀璨的闪光照亮了整个银河系.
At a NASA news conference Wednesday, scientists said they were able to estimate the age of the supernova by tracking its remnant's rate of expansion over the last 20 years. They say it expanded by 16 percent - a surprisingly large amount - indicating it is much younger than previously thought.
在美国宇航局周三的新闻发布会上, 科学家說他们可以通过跟踪遗骸在过去二十年中的扩散速度来估计超新星的具体年龄. 他们說, 它扩张了16%, 这样一个惊人的数据表明它比我们想像中要年轻的多.
The scientist who led the study, Stephen Reynolds of North Carolina State University, said radio and X-ray technology allowed scientists to track the dying star through a dense field of gas and dust that had previously obscured the view.
领导这项研究的来自北卡罗莱纳州立大学的科学家SR說, 无线电波和X光技术使得科学家可以通过气体尘埃带来追踪这颗已逝的星体. 而这些气体尘埃带在从前模糊了影像
The second most recent supernova is believed to have occurred around 1680. Ever since astronomers discovered that supernova more than 50 years ago, they have been searching for more "missing" supernovae and their remnants. Reynolds explains that scientists have measured the rates of exploding stars in other galaxies, and found out that our own Milky Way galaxy seems to be lagging behind in the number of supernovae per century.
距今发现最近的一颗超新星被认为是发生在1680年. 自科学家们50多年前发现超新星之后, 他们一直都在寻找跟多"失踪"的超新星和他们的遗骸. SR解释道, 科学家测量了星球爆炸在其它星系的扩张速率, 并发现我们的银河系在每世纪爆发的超新星数量上似乎是最落后的.
posted on 2008-05-16 09:07
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