維克多英語· 出品

從今天到10月下旬，當我們結束一天的課程，吃完晚餐，慢慢往教學樓走的時候，不妨抬頭看看西南偏西方向，那里正有一顆明亮的彗星拖著長長的黃色彗尾，路過我們的星球。

這顆彗星叫紫金山-阿特拉斯，每繞太陽一周大約需要6萬年，10月12日，也就是今天，距離我們的地球最近。

在未來兩周左右，位于北半球的我們都可以在清晨或傍晚觀測到它，但每天肉眼可觀測的窗口期很短，只有10到20分鐘。

視頻來自SPACE.COM

錯過今年，只能再等6萬年。

假設你們學校組織全體同學今晚6點到6點半集體觀賞“紫金山-阿特拉斯（Tsuchinshan-ATLAS）”，請寫一則通知告訴大家這個消息，詞數80左右。

Notice

We are excited to announce that our school will be organizing a group viewing of the rare comet, Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, on the evening of October 12th. The event will take place from 6:00 PM to 6:30 PM. Please remember to join us for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness the wonder.

Here are a few important things to keep in mind for the comet viewing:

1. Dress warmly, as the evening temperatures can drop.

2. Be patient and give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness for the best experience.

We look forward to an unforgettable night of stargazing!

如何肉眼觀測這顆彗星？為什么它被叫做“紫金山-阿特拉斯”？我們整合了NPR和NASA的兩篇文章，一起來了解一下，這顆繞太陽一圈就需要6萬年的彗星，到底從何而來。

Rare comet visible in the night sky won’t return for 60,000 years

夜空中罕見的彗星在6萬年后才會出現

Look up into the sky this month and you might see a rare comet that won’t return for tens of thousands of years.

在這個月，抬頭仰望夜空，你可能會看到一顆罕見的彗星，這顆彗星在數萬年后才會再次回歸。

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, also known as C/2023 A3 to scientists and pronounced Choo-cheen-shahn, is expected to be visible to the naked eye across the NorthernHemisphere (半球)for several weeks in October, with the best opportunity between Oct. 12 and 26, according to NASA.

據NASA稱，天文學家預測這顆名為紫金山-阿特拉斯的彗星，也稱為C/2023 A3，在10月份幾周內跨越北半球時，將可以用肉眼觀測到，最佳觀測時間為10月12日至26日。

The snowy dirtball is nearly 2 miles in diameter (直徑)and its tail of dust and gasses extends for tens of millions of miles, Bill Cooke, lead of NASA'sMeteoroid (流星體)Environment Office at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, told NPR.

NASA馬歇爾太空飛行中心的流星體環境辦公室負責人比爾·庫克告訴NPR，這顆雪球狀的小行星直徑近2英里，由塵埃和氣體構成的彗尾長達數千萬英里。

The comet got its name from the first astronomers and observers who saw it in early 2023. The Tsuchinshan Observatory in China detected it first in January, followed by a team using theAsteroid Terrestrial-Impact Last alert System(小行星地面撞擊最后警報系統), or ATLAS, in South Africa.

這顆彗星得名于2023年初首次觀測到它的天文學家和觀察員。中國紫金山天文臺在1月份首次發現這顆彗星，隨后南非小行星地面撞擊最后警報系統團隊報告其存在彗星特征。

observer n觀測者；目擊者

According to initial reports from astronomers, the comet’s orbit around the sun could be once every 80,000 years, making its appearance near Earth a once-in-a-lifetime event.

據天文學家初步報告，這顆彗星繞太陽運行軌道可能是每8萬年一次，這使得它在地球附近出現成為一生僅一次的奇觀。

Its closest approach to our planet will be on Saturday, Oct. 12, when it will be at a distance of 44 million miles. For perspective, Mars is about 140 million miles away.

這顆彗星將在10月12日星期六最接近我們的星球，屆時它距離地球僅4400萬英里。相比之下，火星距離地球約1億4000萬英里。

How to see Tsuchinshan-ATLAS?

如何觀測紫金山-阿特拉斯？

In September and the first days of October, the comet has been visible closer to the equator and from the Southern Hemisphere, but as we approach mid-October, it will start becoming more visible across the Northern Hemisphere. It is, though, getting farther from Earth with each day, according to NASA.

在9月和10月的頭幾天，在赤道附近和南半球都可以觀測到這顆彗星，但隨著時間來到10月中旬，北半球開始更方便觀測這顆彗星。然而，根據NASA稱，紫金山-阿特拉斯正在遠離地球。

If you search for it in the dawn twilight, you’ll have to look east-southeast just above the horizon. You’ll have to face west-southwest if you search for the comet in the evening.

如果你在黎明前的微光中尋找它，你必須向地平線上方的東南偏東方向看。如果你在傍晚尋找它，你必須面朝西南偏西的方向。

Comets areleftover debrisfrom when the solar system formed and are composed mainly of dust, rock and ice, according to NASA. As they approach the sun, they send out gases and dust, which create theiriconictail.

據NASA稱，彗星是太陽系形成時留下的碎片，主要由塵埃、巖石和冰塊組成。當彗星靠近太陽時，它們會釋放氣體和塵埃，形成標志性的彗尾。

leftover n 遺留物；殘存物

iconic adj 符號的

star相關表達

01

you're a star!

（表示感激某人）你真是個大好人！

02

see stars

（因頭部被撞擊等）兩眼直冒金星

03

reach for stars

追求難以實現的東西；努力完成壯舉

04

thank your lucky stars

真走運；吉星高照

你們那能看到紫金山-阿特拉斯嗎？

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