一顆可能宜居的行星上,首次發(fā)現(xiàn)了水

In a tantalising first, scientists have discovered water at a planet outside our solar system that has temperatures suitable for life.

科學(xué)家首次在太陽系外一顆溫度適宜生命生存的行星上，發(fā)現(xiàn)了水，這一發(fā)現(xiàn)令人振奮。

London researchers announced today they've found water vapour in the atmosphere of a planet 110 light-years away. This so-called Super Earth is the right distance from its star to conceivably harbour life.

倫敦研究人員今天宣布，他們在110光年外的一顆行星的大氣層中發(fā)現(xiàn)了水蒸氣。這個所謂的“超級地球”距離它的恒星正好可以孕育生命。

The University College London scientists say it's the only exoplanet known so far to have both water and temperatures needed for life, making it a prime candidate for potential life. But they caution it's not another Earth.

倫敦大學(xué)學(xué)院的科學(xué)家說，這是迄今為止已知的唯一一顆既有生命所需的水又有生命所需的溫度的系外行星，因此它是潛在生命的首要候選行星。但他們警告說這不是另一個地球。

It's twice the size of Earth with eight times the mass, and its star is unlike our sun. No one knows if water's flowing on the surface. Lead author Angelos Tsiaras says it could help determine, "Is the Earth unique?"

它的體積是地球的兩倍，質(zhì)量是地球的八倍，它的恒星與我們的太陽不同。沒有人知道水是不是在表面流動。主要作者安吉洛斯·齊亞拉斯說，這一發(fā)現(xiàn)有助于確定“地球是獨一無二的嗎?”

Its star and atmosphere are so different than ours that "Earth-like conditions are not possible," Tsiaras told reporters. "The only question that we're trying to ask here, and we're pushing forward, is the question of habitability."

它的恒星和大氣與我們的非常不同，“不可能有類似地球的條件，”Tsiaras告訴記者。“我們在這里想問的唯一問題，也是我們正在推進的唯一問題，就是可居住性。”

A Canadian-led team announced similar findings today. In a paper just submitted to the Astronomical Journal for publication, these scientists suggest it might even be raining there.

今天，一個加拿大領(lǐng)導(dǎo)的研究小組宣布了類似的發(fā)現(xiàn)。在剛剛提交給《天文學(xué)雜志》發(fā)表的一篇論文中，這些科學(xué)家認為那里甚至可能在下雨。

"This represents the biggest step yet taken toward our ultimate goal of finding life on other planets, of proving that we are not alone," the study's lead astronomer, Bjorn Benneke of the University of Montreal, said.

蒙特利爾大學(xué)的首席天文學(xué)家Bjorn Benneke說:“這是我們朝著在其他行星上發(fā)現(xiàn)生命的最終目標邁出的最大一步，也證明了我們并不孤單。”