望远镜400年的故事（2009）

但你有两组人 做了
BUT YOU HAD TWO DIFFERENT TEAMS THAT HAD DONE
很多相同的实验 但却是独♥立♥完成的
MUCH THE SAME EXPERIMENT BUT INDEPENDENTLY
并得出相同的结论
AND HAD COME TO THE SAME CONCLUSION.
因此这是非常令人兴奋
SO THIS WAS VERY EXCITING,
因为它意味着人们 可以自♥由♥的
BECAUSE IT MEANT THAT PEOPLE WERE FREE
考虑实验的各个分支
TO THINK ABOUT THE RAMIFICATIONS OF THE EXPERIMENT
而不用担心详细资料
AND NOT WORRY ABOUT THE DETAILS
因为他们能够信任 那些被正确处理了的东西
BECAUSE THEY COULD TRUST THAT THOSE HAD BEEN DONE RIGHT.
时间一天天过去 我们发现没有人
AND OVER TIME, WE FOUND THAT NOBODY
能真的想得出 别的真正合理的解释
COULD REALLY THINK OF REALLY ANOTHER PLAUSIBLE INTERPRETATION
除了宇宙的膨胀在加速
OTHER THAN THAT THE EXPANSION OF THE UNIVERSE WAS SPEEDING UP.
解说：是什么原因导致产生 这一令人困惑的效果？
(narrator) WHAT COULD PRODUCE SUCH AN AMAZING EFFECT?
答案似乎存在于 一种宇宙假设
THE ANSWER APPEARS TO RESIDE IN A COSMIC HYPOTHESIS
首先由艾伯特爱因斯坦提出
FIRST SUGGESTED BY ALBERT EINSTEIN
但在超过半世纪的时间里 严重地不为人们所接受
BUT NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY.
在爱因斯坦建立
SHORTLY AFTER EINSTEIN HAD DEVELOPED
广义相对论后不久
HIS GENERAL THEORY OF RELATIVITY,
遇到了一个问题
THERE WAS A PROBLEM.
事实上 牛顿也遇到过 相同的问题
AND IT WAS THE SAME PROBLEM NEWTON WOULD HAVE HAD,IN FACT,
因为正如每个 学物理的学生都知道的
BECAUSE AS ANY STUDENT OF PHYSICS KNOWS,
万有引力很差劲
GRAVITY SUCKS.
它只能拉
IT ALWAYS PULLS.
从来不推
IT NEVER PUSHES.
现在 当爱因斯坦建立 广义相对论时
NOW,WHEN EINSTEIN DEVELOPED GENERAL RELATIVITY,
他认为宇宙 是静态的
HE THOUGHT THE UNIVERSE WAS STATIC.
所有的科学家也这么认为
SO DID ALL SCIENTISTS.
那意味着万有引力不工作了
AND THAT MEANS THAT GRAVITY WOULD NOT WORK,
因为要不然整个宇宙 就会向里坍塌
BECAUSE THE WHOLE UNIVERSE WOULD COLLAPSE INWARD.
但他想到他可以 增加额外的一个术语
BUT HE REALIZED THAT HE COULD ADD AN EXTRA TERM
到他的方程组里面
TO HIS EQUATIONS
他称之为宇宙常数
WHICH HE CALLED THE COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT,
它会在整个空空如也的太空中
WHICH WOULD PRODUCE A SMALL REPULSIVE FORCE
产生一个小小的排斥力
THROUGHOUT ALL OF EMPTY SPACE.
这个力小到
AND IT COULD BE SO SMALL
你没办法在地球上
THAT YOU WOULDN'T MEASURE IT HERE ON EARTH
或在太阳系里测到它
OR IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
但是它却能组建起恒星及星系 又能让它们保持距离
BUT IT COULD BUILD UP AND HOLD THE STARS AND GALAXIES APART.
解说：通过将这个额外的名词加入 到他的方程组里
(narrator) BY INTRODUCING THIS ADDITIONAL TERM INTO HIS EQUATIONS,
爱因斯坦创建了
EINSTEIN CREATED
一个静态宇宙的数学模型
A MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF A STATIC UNIVERSE
不会膨胀也不会收缩
THAT NEITHER EXPANDED NOR CONTRACTED.
导致宇宙加速的实体
THE ENTITY THAT MAKES THE UNIVERSE ACCELERATE
现在被叫做暗能量
IS NOW CALLED DARK ENERGY.
暗能量支配着宇宙中 所有其他形式的
DARK ENERGY DOMINATES ALL OTHER FORMS
能量及物质
OF ENERGY AND MATTER IN THE UVERSE.
天体物理学家计算了 全部的重子物质
ASTROPHYSICISTS CALCULATE THAT ALL THE BARYONIC MATTER,
即组成我们每个人 地球上每一样东西
THE STUFF THAT MAKES UP ALL OF US,ALL OF THE EARTH,
包括所有的恒星及星系的物质
AND ALL THE STARS AND GALAXIES
只等于已知宇宙的小部分
EQUALS A SMALL FRACTION OF THE KNOWN UNIVERSE.
理解为什么宇宙 含有这么多的暗能量
UNDERSTANDING WHY THE UNIVERSE CONTAINS SO MUCH DARK ENERGY
这个课题给科学家们提出的挑战
PRESENTS SCIENTISTS WITH A CHALLENGE
可能会持续几个世代
THAT MAY SPREAD ACROSS MANY LIFETIMES.
有人♥大♥胆提出
OTHERS BOLDLY SUGGEST
我们误解了 观察到的东西
THAT WE ARE MISINTERPRETING THE OBSERVATIONS.
利斯克：好吧 有不同的方法
(Liske) WELL,THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS
去解释 观察到的加速现象
IN WHICH YOU CAN EXPLAIN THIS OBSERVED ACCELERATION.
提出暗能量是其中之一
YOU CAN EITHER ADD DARK ENERGY,
这东西可能相当令人兴奋 从某种意义上说
WHICH IS A PRETTY EXCITING POSSIBILITY,IN A SENSE,
因为我们不知道 暗能量是什么
BECAUSE WE HAVE NO IDEA WHAT DARK ENERGY IS.
无论结论是什么 它都会改变物理学
WHATEVER IT TURNS OUT, IT'S GONNA CHANGE PHYSICS.
或也许另一种可能 是爱因斯坦的万有引力
OR MAYBE ANOTHER POSSIBILITY IS THAT EINSTEIN'S GRAVITY,
他的引力理论 实际上存在着些微的错误
HIS THEORY OF GRAVITY, IS ACTUALLY SLIGHTLY WRONG,
这样的话也将会是 极端令人兴奋的
WHICH WILL ALSO BE EXTREMELY EXCITING.
因此无论发生了什么 以及发现更多的什么
SO WHATEVER HAPPENS AND WHATEVER MORE WE FIND OUT,
它都会持续地改变物理学
IT WILL CHANGE PHYSICS IN A LASTING WAY.
现代的宇宙哲学 完全地被建立
MODERN COSMOLOGY IS ENTIRELY BASED
在暗物质 及暗能量的存在上
ON THE EXISTENCE OF DARK MATTER AND DARK ENERGY.
例如 我们都被告诉说
FOR INSTANCE,WE WERE ALL TOLD,
宇宙膨胀唯一会发生的 是膨胀将减慢下来
THE ONLY THING EXPANSION COULD DO WAS TO SLOW DOWN.
然后当最后 我们成功地测量了它
AND THEN WHEN EVENTUALLY WE SUCCEEDED IN MEASURING IT,
我们才发现 并非如此
WE FOUND IT WASN'T.
尽管如此 我们仍假装 我们了解这个宇宙
AND NEVERTHELESS,WE PRETEND WE UNDERSTAND THE UNIVERSE.
解说：正如哥白尼及伽利略 改变了我们对
(narrator) JUST AS COPERNICUS AND GALILEO CHANGED THE WAY WE VIEW
行星及恒星运动的看法
THE MOTIONS OF THE PLANETS AND THE STARS,
提供了一个正确的太阳系模型
TO PROVIDE A CORRECT MODEL OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
天体物理学家可能很快 进行一场观测
ASTROPHYSICISTS MAY SOON MAKE AN OBRVATION
来挑战我们目前 的整个宇宙模型
THAT CHALLENGES OUR CURRENT MODEL OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE.
在我看来 我们站在 变革的边缘
IN MY OPINION,WE ARE ON THE VERGE OF A REVOLUTION
在这里我们将不得不重组 所有的信息
WHERE WE WILL HAVE TO REARRANGE ALL THE INFORMATION
并提供宇宙的全新景象
AND PROVIDE A NEW VISION OF THE UNIVERSE.
要完成它 我们需要 一台巨型望远镜 象是
TO DO THIS,WE NEED A LARGE TELESCOPE LIKE,
例如 加那列望远镜 或更大的
FOR INSTANCE,GRANTECAN, OR EVEN LARGER
为了要研究 宇宙最远处的物体
IN ORDER TO STUDY THE MOST DISTANT OBJECTS IN THE UNIVERSE
的大量细节 和理解它们的特性
IN GREAT DETAIL AND UNDERSTAND THEIR PROPERTIES.
解说：天文学家现在计划 建造可见光望远镜
(narrator) ASTRONOMERS NOW HAVE PLANS TO BUILD VISIBLE LIGHT TELESCOPES
这些仪器将被安装在 智利 夏威夷
THAT WILL DWARF THE INSTRUMENTS IN HAWAII,CHILE,
及加纳利群岛
AND THE CANARY ISLANDS.
他们梦想的光学望远镜 有足球场般大小
THEY DREAM OF OPTICAL TELESCOPES THE SIZE OF FOOTBALL FIELDS
能收集到超过 目前最好的望远镜
CAPABLE OF COLLECTING 100 TIMES MORE LIGHT
100倍以上的光线
THAN OUR BEST TELESCOPES CAN TODAY.
这些空前的望远镜 计划中的三个
THREE OF THESE UNPRECEDENTED TELESCOPE PROJECTS
目前正在进行中
ARE CURRENTLY UNDER WAY.
巨型麦哲伦望远镜 是一个野心勃勃的新计划
THE GIANT MAGELLAN TELESCOPE IS AN AMBITIOUS NEW PROJECT
要建成一座25米口径的 光学望远镜
TO BUILD A 25-METER OPTICAL TELESCOPE.
直径超过80英尺
THAT'S OVER 80 FEET IN DIAMETER.
这是一个国际合作项目
IT IS AN INTERNATIONAL PARTNERSHIP.
望远镜由 七个镜面组成
THE TELESCOPE WILL BE MADE UP OF SEVEN MIRRORS,
每个分别是 84米直径
EACH OF WHICH INDIVIDUALLY IS 8.4 METERS IN DIAMETER.
因此与目前为止建造的
SO VERY UNLIKE MOST OF THE TELESCOPES
大部分望远镜非常不相像
THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT TO DATE,
这台望远镜由七个 巨型的单位组成
THIS IS MADE OF SEN ANT segments.
它将被设置在 智利的安第斯山脉
IT'S GOING TO BE LOCATED IN THE ANDES MOUNTAINS IN CHILE
海拔约2,700米
AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 2,700 METERS
一个非常干燥 非常黑暗
AT A SITE WHICH IS VERY DRY, VERY DARK,
非常理想的地方
AN EXCELLENT SITE.
解说：美国各大学的合作者
(narrator) COLLABORATORS AMONG UNIVERSITIES IN THE UNITED STATES
预想有一台30米望远镜
ENVISION A 30-METER TELESCOPE
象凯克天文台的那样 有多个的镜面单元
WITH MULTIPLE SEGMENTED MIRRORS LIKE THE KECK OBSERVATORY.
为了不被超越 欧洲的 南方天文台
NOT TO BE OUTDONE,THE EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSERVATORY
现在计划建造一台望远镜 镜面口径达42米
NOW PLANS TO CREATE A TELESCOPE WITH A MIRROR 42 METERS ACROSS.
EELT
THE EELT,
“欧洲极大型望远镜”
THE EUROPEAN EXTREMELY LARGE TELESCOPE,
是人类已构思的最大望远镜
IS THE LARGEST TELESCOPE THAT MANKIND HAS CONCEIVED.
它是一具光学望远镜 有一面40米直径的镜子
SO IT'S AN OPTICAL TELESCOPE WITH A 40-METER DIAMETER MIRROR.
当我们建造那样尺寸的镜子时
WHEN WE BUILD MIRRORS OF THAT SIZE,
我们没法建造一面整体的镜子；
WE CANNOT BUILD A MONOLITHIC MIRROR;
我们必须分割它
WE HAVE TO SEGMENT IT.
因此我们实际上做的是 一米尺寸的单元
SO WE HAVE ACTUALLY SEGMENTS OF ONE METER
用来拼装成这么一面 非常巨大的镜子
THAT WE TIE TOGETHER TO FORM THIS VERY LARGE MIRROR,
做出来的这一整个东西
AND THE WHOLE THING IS THEN,WELL,
有一半足球场大小
THE SIZE OF HALF A FOOTBALL COURT.
EELT这么一个计划 意味着人类
THE EELT PROJECT AS SUCH IS MEANT TO TAKE MANKIND,
真的 在光学天文学又更进一步
REALLY,A STEP FURTHER IN OPTICAL ASTRONOMY.
解说：但是这些主要的 望远镜计划
(narrator) BUT THESE MAJOR TELESCOPE PROJECTS
不只限于可见光天文学
ARE NOT LIMITED TO VISIBLE LIGHT ASTRONOMY.
最新、最大胆 最昂贵的
THE NEWEST,BOLDEST, AND MOST EXPENSIVE ARRAY
电波望远镜阵列 将很快开始运作
OF RADIO TELESCOPES WILL SOON BEGIN OPERATION
在智利的安迪斯山脉里 荒芜的阿达卡马高原上
ON THE BARREN ATACAMA PLATEAU IN THE ANDES MOUNTAINS OF CHILE.
切萨尔斯基：在过去十年里
(Cesarsky) IN THE LAST DECADE,
全世界的天文学家 开始确信
ASTRONOMERS ALL OVER THE WORLD BECAME CONVINCED