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An anomaly in deep space that has been the focus of speculation and observation for weeks over possible extraterrestrial life may have just been solved. |
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幾個星期以來，有個外太空異象一直是猜測與觀察的焦點，關注是否可能有外星生命，謎題現在可能已經解開了。 |
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A research team from Iowa State University looked at data from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and found that the strange dips in light, which were initially theorized to be possible structures, were likely a "swarm of comets." |
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愛荷華州立大學的一個研究團隊檢視了美國太空總署的史匹哲太空望遠鏡所收集的數據，結果發現其中那些光線驟滅又轉亮的古怪現象──原本推測可能是結構物的關係──可能是「一群彗星」構成的。 |
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The star system, KIC 8462852, has been under scrutiny since its unusual light fluctuation was discovered by users of the online astronomy crowdsourcing site Planet Hunters. |
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The group uses publicly available data gathered by NASA's Kepler Telescope, which has been tasked with finding Earth-like planets by searching for the periodic dimming of stars that might suggest such a planet is passing by. |
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這個編號 KIC 8462852 的恆星系統近來受到仔細檢驗，因為天文群眾外包網站「行星獵人」的使用者發現那裡出現了不尋常的光度變化。該團體使用美國太空總署的克卜勒太空望遠鏡所提供的公開資料，克卜勒太空望遠鏡的任務是藉由搜尋恆星週期性光度減弱的現象來尋找類地行星，因為這種現象可能表示有行星繞行經過。 |
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But NASA says the Kepler Telescope only viewed the star in "visible light," and in this case, the research team searched by infrared light. |
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不過，美國太空總署表示克卜勒太空望遠鏡只觀測恆星的「可見光」，而在此一案例中，研究團隊搜尋的則是紅外線光。 |
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"It's possible that a family of comets is traveling on a very long, eccentric orbit around the star," NASA said in a statement. |
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"At the head of the pack would be a very large comet, which would have blocked the star's light." |
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「有可能是一群彗星在圍繞該恆星的一條既長又不正圓的軌道上運行，」美國太空總署在一份聲明中指出：「彗星群的前頭是一顆非常大的彗星，擋住了那顆恆星的光線。」 |
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Associate Professor Massimo Marengo at Iowa State led the study and said more observations are needed to confirm their conclusion. |
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愛荷華州立大學的馬希莫．馬倫戈副教授主導這項研究，他說他們的結論需要更多的觀測證實。 |
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"This is [a] very strange star," Marengo said. "We may not know yet what's going on around this star, but that's what makes it so interesting." |
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「這是一顆非常奇怪的恆星，」馬倫戈說：「我們也許還不知道這顆恆星周圍究竟發生了什麼事，但這正是它如此引人注意的原因。」 |
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The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute (SETI) has been monitoring the star since early October. |
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Originating from a point 1,500 light years away between the Cygnus and Lyra constellations, light from the star system occasionally has dropped by 20 percent. |
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SETI Institute started investigating the star after learning that the Kepler team had vetted data showing there is an atypical light pattern coming from the region. |
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地外文明探索計畫自從十月初以來就開始監控這顆恆星。那個恆星系統的光源來自距離地球一千五百光年天鵝座與天琴座之間的某處，其光度偶爾會減弱百分之二十。地外文明探索計畫得知克卜勒團隊檢視了顯示該區域出現不尋常光度的資料之後，便開始調查這顆恆星。 |
