了解宇宙是如何运行的（2010）

How the Universe Works S06E03

Part 6 Dec. 22, 2021, 7:22 p.m.

唯一途径就是……都不是单独的，而是成对的
is that they formed this way... Not alone, but in a pair.
根据统计数据和我们对这些
Just based on statistics and our understanding
形成恒星的星云内部情况的理解
of what's going on inside these star-forming clouds,
太阳很有可能是由一个双胞胎形成的
it is highly likely that the sun formed with a twin.
大约45亿年前，
Perhaps 4.5 billion years ago,
我们的太阳突然有了一个兄弟姐妹
our sun burst into life with a sibling.
现在这个双胞胎恒星有可能
Could this twin still be out there
还在我们看不到的遥远轨道上运行吗？
in a distant orbit that we haven't seen?
有一种观点认为，太阳可能有一个
There was an idea that the sun could have a companion,
绰号♥为涅墨西斯(Nemesis)的伴星
which was nicknamed Nemesis,
它在太阳系中绕着很遥远的轨道运行
and this thing would've orbited way far out,
远远超过了海王星的轨道
way past Neptune in the solar system.
科学家们试图寻找这颗星
Scientists searched for this Nemesis star,
但一无所获
but they came back empty handed.
我们寻找过……我们用望远镜观测过天空
We've looked... we've had telescopic surveys of the sky,
包括红外观测，这些类型的物体
including infrared surveys where these types of objects
会非常明亮
would be very bright,
我们多次扫视整个天空
and we've swept the entire sky multiple times
但我们什么也没看到
and we've seen nothing.
我们太阳的兄弟到底发生了什么，至今是个谜
What happened to our sun's sibling is a mystery.
我们如何能得到一颗恒星而不是双星系呢？
How do we end up with one star as opposed to binary?
我们真的不太明白
We really don't quite understand.
如果它现在不在我们的轨道上运行
If it doesn't orbit us now,
它可能早就离开我们的系统了
it may have left our system long ago.
随着时间的推移，一些双星
Over time, some of these binary stars
会靠得很近并保持在一起
get closer together and stay together,
而另一些则会被撕裂而完全失去彼此
and others get ripped apart and lose each other entirely.
很有可能，我们的太阳，在某个时候
It's very possible that our sun, at some point,
有一个双胞胎被喷射出去
had a twin that got ejected.
我们不知道我们的姐妹星
We don't know exactly when
是什么时候被夺走的
our sister star was torn away.
它可能已经在银河系的
It could be clear on the other side of the galaxy
另一边了
from us by now.
但在我们见识了双星系的一切之后
But after everything we've seen in binary systems,
如果没有它，情况可能会好得多
we may be much better off without it.
我很高兴只有一个太阳
I'm pretty happy with having just one sun,
所以我可以在这个太阳系里生活
so I'm fine to live in this solar system.
双重日落会更美
A binary sunset would be more beautiful,
但只有你活着的时候才会更美
but only more beautiful if you were alive.
然而双星带来的
And yet binary stars
不仅仅是死亡和毁灭
don't just bring death and destruction.
他们还是可以创造一系列
They could also create systems
可居住世界的恒星系
with a series of habitable worlds.
关于我们自己的环境，以及它与宇宙中
There's so much we don't know about our own environment
其他地方相比会如何，我们知之甚少
and how it compares to other places in the universe.
看来我们是在一个非常幸运的地方
It seems like we're in a very lucky place.
太阳非常稳定，它是一颗单星
The sun is very stable, it's a single star,
我们在一个很好的轨道上围绕着它
we're in a nice orbit around it,
但也许还有更好的地方
but maybe there are places out there that are even better.
我们都不知道该怎么问
We just didn't even know to ask.
当然，两颗恒星
It's certainly possible
是否比一颗恒星更适合生命存在
that two stars are better for life than one,
但在我们找到这些外星世界之前
but until we find these alien worlds,
这仍是一个悬而未决的问题
it remains an open question.
我们只是生活在一颗围绕单一恒星运行的行星上
It's hard to say whether we're lucky or unlucky
这很难说是幸运还是不幸
to be on a planet orbiting a single star.
和这些双星系相比
It's probably a little boring here
生活在这个世界里
compared to what it would seem like
可能的确有点无聊
in these binary star systems.
你懂的，从浪漫的角度来看
You know, from a romantic, visual perspective,
我真希望我们生活在一个双星系里
I kind of wish we did live in a binary star system.
你能想象有人生活在一个环绕双恒星的行星上
Can you imagine somebody living on a circum-binary planet
然后发现一个类似地球的行星围绕着一颗孤星运行
and finding an earthlike planet orbiting a solitary star.
他们是否会想，“哦，那该多有趣啊”
Would they think, "oh, how interesting that would be.
你能想象只有一个太阳的日落吗？
Can you imagine having one sunset?
那会是什么样子呢？”
What would that look like?"
我能想象他们会问自己这样的
I can imagine them asking themselves
我们问自己的问题
the questions we ask ourselves.
所以这只是角度的问题，你懂吧？
So it's just a matter of perspective, you know?
在双星系的另一边，草总是更绿
(呵呵，这就好比是别人家的孩子)
Grass is always greener on the other side of the binary system.