2016年08月25日:最邻近的恆星有可能宜居之行星-（Closest Star has Potentially Habitable Planet）--原图下载
Image Credit & License: Y. Beletsky (LCO), ESO, Pale Red Dot Team
说明: 最邻近太阳的恒星拥有一颗类似地球的行星。最近进行的一些观测刚在昨天发布，证实这颗行星不仅真实存在，而且它位在宜居区之内，表面温度让作为地球生命关键成份的液态水得以存在。然而，目前不明的是，这颗名为比邻星b的行星，是否有任何生命滋长。纵然没有，它可能拥有液态水，让它成为未来人类航行进入银河系内的良好第一个停靠点。虽然这颗行星的母星─比邻星，比太阳低温也比太阳红；但它所在的南门二恒星系统，还有其他二颗特性和太阳极为类似的恒星。上面这幅主题影像，呈现了进行许多观测导致这些发现的智利．拉西亚．欧南天文台的3.6米望远镜后方的天空，以及比邻星在南方天空中的位置。这颗由欧南天文台淡红点计画所发现的行星，非常接近母星，它的一年只有11个地球日。虽然比邻星b看来不可能有智慧生物，不过如果有，距离4.25光年的它让双向通信得以进行。(Proxima Centauri 比邻星)
原文：
Image Credit & License: Y. Beletsky (LCO), ESO, Pale Red Dot Team
Explanation: The star closest to the Sun has a planet similar to the Earth.As announced yesterday, recent observations confirmed that this planet not only exists but inhabits a zone where its surface temperature could allow liquid water, a key ingredient for life on Earth.It is not yet known if this planet, Proxima b, has any life.Even if not, its potential ability to sustain liquid water might make it a good first hop for humanity's future trips out into the Milky Way Galaxy. Although the planet's parent star, Proxima Centauri, is cooler and redder than our Sun, one of the other two stars in the Alpha Centauri star system is very similar to our Sun.The featured image shows the sky location of Proxima Centauri in southern skies behind the telescope that made many of the discovery observations: ESO's 3.6-meter telescope in La Silla, Chile. The discovered planet orbits close in -- so close one year there takes only 11 days on Earth. The planet was discovered by the ESO's Pale Red Dot collaboration. Although seemingly unlikely, if Proxima b does have intelligent life, at 4.25 light years distance it is close enough to Earth for two-way communication.
评论