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VOA科学技术2022--天文学家观测到有史以来最明亮的闪光

时间:2022-11-07 01:53:00

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Astronomers1 Studying Effects of Brightest Light Burst Ever Seen

Astronomers have observed the brightest burst of light ever seen, from an event that happened 2.4 billion light-years from Earth. A light year is about 9.4 trillion kilometers.

The scientists say the burst was probably caused when a black hole formed.

Gamma rays are among the most intense forms of electromagnetic radiation. The burst was first noted2 by orbiting telescopes on Sunday. Scientists across the world are continuing to observe its effects.

Astrophysicist Brendan O'Connor spoke3 to the French News Agency. He said gamma ray bursts that last hundreds of seconds, as this one did, are thought to be caused when massive stars explode. Such stars are about 30 times the size of the Sun.

The massive star explosion, called a supernova, results in a massive black hole. A disk of matter forms around the black hole as it falls inside the massive object. Energy is also expelled away from the black hole in a jet. The expelled energy moves at 99.99 percent the speed of light.

The gamma ray burst released photons carrying a record amount of energy. It affected4 longwave radio communications in Earth's ionosphere.

"It's really breaking records, both in the amount of photons, and the energy of the photons that are reaching us," said O'Connor. The scientist used infrared5 instruments on the Gemini South telescope in Chile to take new observations recently.

"Something this bright, this nearby, is really a once-in-a-century event," he added.

"Gamma ray bursts in general release the same amount of energy that our sun produces over its entire lifetime" in just a few seconds, he noted.

"And this event is the brightest gamma ray burst," O'Conner said.

The gamma ray burst was first found by telescopes including NASA's Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, the Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory6, and the Wind spacecraft on Sunday.

1.9 billion-year-old movie

The burst came from the direction of the constellation7 Sagitta and traveled an estimated 1.9 billion years to reach Earth. That is less than the current distance of its starting point because of the expansion of the universe.

Observing the event now is like watching a 1.9 billion-year-old recording8 of those events. Astronomers have the rare chance to learn more about black hole formation and other mysteries.

O'Connor works with the University of Maryland and George Washington University. He said he and others will continue watching for the expected signs of supernovas at different wavelengths10. The researchers aim to confirm that their theory about the burst's beginnings is correct, and that the event obeys the laws of physics.

Supernova explosions are also predicted to be responsible for producing heavy elements such as gold, platinum11 and uranium. Astronomers will also be hunting for those heavy metals.

Words in This Story

black hole –n. the remnant of a massive star which has such powerful gravity that even light cannot escape

astrophysicist – n. a scientist who studies the physical and chemical properties and structure of stars and outer space objects

disk – n. a flat, round object

photon – n. a particle of light

ionosphere – n. a part of the atmosphere from 70 to 400 kilometers above the Earth in which the sun's radiation affects the transmission of radio waves

infrared – n. a wavelength9 of electromagnetic radiation that cannot be seen with the human eye

constellation – n. a group of start that form a shape in the sky and that has a name and often a story about it


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1 astronomers 569155f16962e086bd7de77deceefcbd     
n.天文学者,天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )
参考例句:
  • Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪,为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》
2 noted 5n4zXc     
adj.著名的,知名的
参考例句:
  • The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
  • Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。
3 spoke XryyC     
n.(车轮的)辐条;轮辐;破坏某人的计划;阻挠某人的行动 v.讲,谈(speak的过去式);说;演说;从某种观点来说
参考例句:
  • They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
  • The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。
4 affected TzUzg0     
adj.不自然的,假装的
参考例句:
  • She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
  • His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。
5 infrared dx0yp     
adj./n.红外线(的)
参考例句:
  • Infrared is widely used in industry and medical science.红外线广泛应用于工业和医学科学。
  • Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light.红外辐射的波长比可见光的波长长。
6 observatory hRgzP     
n.天文台,气象台,瞭望台,观测台
参考例句:
  • Guy's house was close to the observatory.盖伊的房子离天文台很近。
  • Officials from Greenwich Observatory have the clock checked twice a day.格林威治天文台的职员们每天对大钟检查两次。
7 constellation CptzI     
n.星座n.灿烂的一群
参考例句:
  • A constellation is a pattern of stars as seen from the earth. 一个星座只是从地球上看到的某些恒星的一种样子。
  • The Big Dipper is not by itself a constellation. 北斗七星本身不是一个星座。
8 recording UktzJj     
n.录音,记录
参考例句:
  • How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间?
  • I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。
9 wavelength 8gHwn     
n.波长
参考例句:
  • The authorities were unable to jam this wavelength.当局无法干扰这一波长。
  • Radio One has broadcast on this wavelength for years.广播1台已经用这个波长广播多年了。
10 wavelengths 55c7c1db2849f4af018e7824d42c3ff2     
n.波长( wavelength的名词复数 );具有相同的/不同的思路;合拍;不合拍
参考例句:
  • I find him difficult to talk to—we're on completely different wavelengths. 我没法和他谈话,因为我们俩完全不对路。 来自《简明英汉词典》
  • Sunlight consists of different wavelengths of radiation. 阳光由几种不同波长的射线组成。 来自辞典例句
11 platinum CuOyC     
n.白金
参考例句:
  • I'll give her a platinum ring.我打算送给她一枚白金戒指。
  • Platinum exceeds gold in value.白金的价值高于黄金。

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