got its first snapshot of an exoplanet.

得到了它對一顆系外行星的第一次快照。

It was a groundbreaking picture

這是一部開創性的電影

that we've all been waiting to see,

我們都在等著看。

and it looks like this.

而它看起來像這樣。

Okay, I know what you're thinking,

好吧，我知道你在想什麼。

but first let me just say that this is really cool.

但首先讓我說，這真的很酷。

This is HIP 65426 b.

這就是HIP 65426 b。

It's a young gas giant around 355 light years away,

它是一個年輕的氣體巨行星，距離約355光年。

but the casual observer it's I don't know,

但是不經意的觀察者，它是我不知道的。

kind of fuzzy like I guess that's a planet.

有種模糊的感覺，我想那是一個星球。

The thing is, as amazing as JWST is,

問題是，儘管JWST很了不起。

it will never give us an image of an exoplanet

它永遠不會為我們提供系外行星的影像

that's like, well this.

這就像，嗯，這個。

This is one of the most detailed images of earth ever taken.

這是迄今為止拍攝的最詳細的地球影像之一。

You can see land masses, oceans, clouds,

你可以看到陸塊、海洋、雲層。

clear indicators that the planet can harbor life.

清楚地表明，該星球可以孕育生命。

So, how do we get from something like this, closer to this?

那麼，我們如何從這樣的東西，更接近於這樣的東西呢？

Well, a team at NASA has been tasked

好吧，美國宇航局的一個團隊已經接受了任務

with a potential mission

具有潛在的任務

that could be a big step in that direction.

這可能是朝著這個方向邁出的一大步。

A mission that could potentially answer the question.

一個有可能回答這個問題的任務。

Are we alone?

我們是孤獨的嗎？

- A reality is that no current instrument

- 一個現實是，目前沒有任何文書

and instrument that we will have in the future

以及我們未來將擁有的儀器

will be able to bring us direct images of the exoplanets.

將能夠為我們帶來系外行星的直接影像。

- Now, yes, this picture from JWST is a direct image,

- 現在，是的，這張來自JWST的照片是一張直接影像。

but one, it's of a gas giant,

但有一點，它是一個氣體巨頭的。

and two, it looks like this,

和二，它看起來像這樣。

that's not what we're talking about.

這不是我們正在談論的問題。

We're talking about a direct image

我們正在談論的是一個直接的影像

of a smaller earth-like exoplanet

一顆較小的類地系外行星的

with lots and lots of detail.

有很多很多的細節。

JWST can't do that.

JWST無法做到這一點。

We've made some pretty big telescopes in the past,

我們過去曾做過一些相當大的望遠鏡。

but to get the picture we're talking about,

但要了解我們正在談論的情況。

the size of the lens you would need

你需要的鏡頭的尺寸

would be hard to pull off.

將是很難做到的。

- If I take our own earth,

- 如果我把我們自己的地球。

the diameter of our earth is about 13,000 kilometers,

我們地球的直徑約為13,000千米。

and I move that object to 100 light years away.

而我把這個物體移到100光年之外。

If I want to image that exoplanet with just one pixel,

如果我想給那顆系外行星成像，只用一個像素。

I need to have access to a telescope

我需要有機會使用望遠鏡

of about 90 kilometers in diameter.

直徑約為90公里。

- So let's see, a 90 kilometer telescope

- 所以讓我們看看，一個90公里的望遠鏡

that's about 55 miles.

這大約是55英里。

So, just the distance from New York City

是以，僅從紐約市的距離來看

to Bridgeport, Connecticut,

到康涅狄格州的布里奇波特。

or Los Angeles to San Bernardino or look, you get it.

或洛杉磯到聖貝納迪諾或看，你懂的。

It's just too big for a telescope lens,

對於望遠鏡鏡頭來說，它實在是太大了。

and that's just for a one pixel image.

而這只是針對一個像素的影像。

- Let's say 10 pixels,

- 比方說10個像素。

I must have 900 kilometer telescope.

我必須有900公里的望遠鏡。

- So, Slava and his team turned to a lucky quirk of physics

- 是以，斯拉瓦和他的團隊轉向了一個幸運的物理學怪圈

to solve this problem.

來解決這個問題。

- Solar gravitational lens is the only way for us

- 太陽引力透鏡是我們的唯一途徑

to start seeing those exoplanets directly

以開始直接看到這些系外行星

before we will be able to travel to those distant floors.

在我們能夠旅行到那些遙遠的樓層之前。

- Okay. Gravitational lens is really cool

- 好的。重力透鏡真的很酷

but can be hard to understand.

但可能難以理解。

So, let's do this.

所以，讓我們這樣做吧。

Now, to witness this phenomenon, you need three things.

現在，要見證這一現象，你需要三件事。

A distant object like an exoplanet,

像系外行星一樣的遙遠物體。

something with a lot of mass, like a star,

有大量品質的東西，如恆星。

and then you need something looking back

然後你需要一些東西回頭看

at these two things in a straight line, like a telescope.

在一條直線上看這兩個東西，就像一個望遠鏡。

(electric music)

(電子音樂)

Perfect.

完美。

Oh, none of this is to scale, by the way,

哦，順便說一下，這些都不是按比例的。

nothing in this video is to scale.

本視頻中沒有任何東西是按比例的。

So what are you gonna do?

那麼你打算怎麼做？

Okay. The most important thing you have to know

好的。你必須知道的最重要的事情是

is that light can bend or refract.

是，光可以彎曲或折射。

So, put a straw and a glass of water,

是以，放一根吸管和一杯水。

and hey, there you go, light has been bent.

嘿，你去那裡，光已經被彎曲了。

Your glasses also bend light

你的眼鏡也會彎曲光線

in case your eyeballs are doing a lousy job

以防你的眼球做得很差勁

of it on their own.

的，是他們自己。

Lenses can also magnify stuff if it's a convex lens,

如果是凸透鏡，鏡頭也可以放大東西。

so you know that kind of bulges out.

所以你知道那是一種凸出來的東西。

Basically, you just need something to bend light

基本上，你只需要一些東西來彎曲光線

like glass or water or space time.

像玻璃或水或空間時間。

(bright upbeat music)

(明亮歡快的音樂)

You see, space time can be curved

你看，空間時間可以是彎曲的

by the gravity of something massive like the star.

被像恆星這樣的巨大事物的引力所影響。

This curve in space time is like a convex lens,

這條空間時間的曲線就像一個凸透鏡。

so when light from a distant object hits this curve,

是以，當來自遠處物體的光照射到這個曲線上時。

it bends around it and is then magnified by a lot.

它在它周圍彎曲，然後被放大了很多。

Like think of it like really, really strong reading glasses.

就像把它想成是非常非常強的閱讀眼鏡。

Now, if we're able to look directly

現在，如果我們能夠直接看到

at this huge object through a telescope,

通過望遠鏡觀察這個巨大的物體。

as the light bends around it from just the right angle,

當光線從合適的角度在它周圍彎曲時。

we'll see that light in the shape of a ring

我們將看到光是一個環形的。

known as an Einstein ring.

被稱為 "愛因斯坦環"。

- And that Einstein ring essentially has all the lights

- 而那個愛因斯坦戒指基本上有所有的燈光

from Luminous source.

來自Luminous來源。

- In other words, all the information we need

- 換句話說，我們需要的所有資訊

to create a picture of a planet.

來創建一個星球的圖片。

Now, it's tricky to catch sight of an Einstein ring

現在，要看到一個愛因斯坦環是很困難的

since everything has to be positioned perfectly

因為所有的東西都必須被完美地定位

relative to the observer.

相對於觀察者而言。

You have to be looking at say,

你必須在看說。

a galaxy with another galaxy behind it,

一個星系，背後有另一個星系。

and then be far enough away from everything

然後離一切都足夠遠

that you're at the point where all the light rays converge.

你是在所有光線匯聚的地方。

Tricky, but you can actually game plan for all these,

很棘手，但你實際上可以為所有這些制定遊戲計劃。

if you know those positions in advance.

如果你事先知道這些位置。

Which is exactly Dr. Turyshev and his team's plan.

這正是圖裡舍夫博士和他的團隊的計劃。

You find an exoplanet, you get a telescope,

你發現了一顆系外行星，你就會得到一個望遠鏡。

then you use the sun as your massive body to bend the light.

然後你用太陽作為你的巨大身體來彎曲光線。

A light from the exoplanet bends around the sun

來自系外行星的光線圍繞太陽彎曲

creating an Einstein ring that...

創造一個愛因斯坦環，...

- That hold the lights from luminous source.

- 它能容納來自發光源的燈光。

- And remember, we've magnified that light.

- 記住，我們已經放大了那道光。

So now, instead of a fuzzy image...

所以現在，不再是一個模糊的影像...

- We can form an image of that exoplanet

- 我們可以形成該系外行星的影像

within 1000 by 1000 pixel image.

在1000×1000像素的影像內。

And so that means we will be able to see continental lines,

是以，這意味著我們將能夠看到大陸線。

weather patterns, topography, ice caps.

天氣模式、地形、冰蓋。

- So continents, oceans, deserts.

- 是以，大陸、海洋、沙漠。

It also means hypothetically,

它也意味著假設。

we'd be able to see the light from cities at night,

我們就能在晚上看到城市的燈光了。

which would be proof of intelligent life

這將是智慧生命的證明

somewhere else in the universe.

宇宙中的其他地方。

But look at that ring.

但看看那個戒指。

How do we construct a high resolution image out of that?

我們如何在此基礎上構建一個高分辨率的影像？

That does not look like a planet.

這看起來並不像一個星球。

Well, the idea is that you don't just take one picture.

嗯，這個想法是，你不只是拍一張照片。

The telescope would take many many pictures of the ring

望遠鏡會拍下許多許多環形物的照片

at slightly different angles,

在稍微不同的角度。

recording the difference in brightness each time.

記錄每次的亮度差異。

Then when we get those images back on earth,

然後當我們把這些影像帶回地球時。

we can assemble a clear image

我們可以組裝出一個清晰的影像

using a method called deconvolution.

使用一種稱為去卷積的方法。

Now that sounds crazy,

現在這聽起來很瘋狂。

well, it's similar to how NASA made this image from before.

嗯，這與美國宇航局之前製作這張圖片的方式相似。

This isn't just one shot of earth

這不只是地球的一個鏡頭

like the original Blue Marble taken from Apollo.

就像從阿波羅號上取下的原始藍寶石。

It's months of light data collected by a satellite

這是由衛星收集的幾個月的光照數據

that was then stitched together.

然後被縫合在一起。

Now, the resolution here is obviously greater

現在，這裡的分辨率顯然更大

and the execution is slightly different,

而執行情況則略有不同。

but I mean, it's earth, we're here.

但我的意思是，它是地球，我們在這裡。

The basic idea, though, is the same.

不過，基本想法是一樣的。

Sounds great, right?

聽起來不錯，對嗎？

So, where do we put this thing thing?

那麼，我們該把這個東西放在哪裡呢？

Well, that's the tricky part.

嗯，這就是棘手的部分。

- We need to reach the region of roughly 550 AU away.

- 我們需要到達大約550AU的區域。

It still takes time.

這仍然需要時間。

- Which is slightly farther than Los Angeles

- 這比洛杉磯略遠

to San Bernardino.

到聖貝納迪諾。

You see, in order to actually view the Einstein ring,

你看，為了實際查看愛因斯坦環。

that telescope has to be far back enough,

該望遠鏡必須足夠遠。

so that it falls into a sweet spot,

以使其落入一個甜蜜的地方。

which starts roughly 82 billion kilometers away.

它的起點大約在820億公里之外。

And unfortunately, current propulsion technology

而不幸的是，目前的推進技術

can't get us to that distance

不能讓我們達到那個距離

in a reasonable amount of time,

在一個合理的時間內。

which Dr. Turyshev determines to be 25 to 35 years,

Turyshev博士確定為25至35年。

so within the career of a scientist.

是以，在科學家的職業生涯中。

That's why Dr. Turyshev is looking at solar sales

這就是為什麼Turyshev博士正在關注太陽能銷售的原因

as a way to get that added power.

作為獲得這種額外動力的一種方式。

We're not there yet, but solar sales are already being used,

我們還沒有到那一步，但太陽能銷售已經在使用。

and put to the test in other missions.

並在其他任務中接受考驗。

Once you get there, though,

不過，一旦你到達那裡。

you've got all the time in the world to take pictures

你有的是時間來拍照

as long as you travel along the sweet spot

只要你沿著甜蜜的地方旅行

or focal plane, if we wanna be technical.

或焦平面，如果我們想技術性地講的話。

Well, I mean, until the satellite stops working.

嗯，我是說，直到衛星停止工作。

That's also for the best,

這也是最好的辦法。

as your telescope is only ever gonna image

因為你的望遠鏡只是要成像

that one exoplanet.

那一顆系外行星。

You see repositioning the telescope

你看重新定位望遠鏡

just a single degree to see another target,

只要有一個度就能看到另一個目標。

would involve moving at the distance of earth to Saturn.

將涉及以地球到土星的距離移動。

Okay, I can't sit like this anymore.

好了，我不能再這樣坐著了。

(electric music)

(電子音樂)

(exhales)

（呼氣）

But here's another cool part,

但這裡有另一個很酷的部分。

these are just one meter telescopes.

這些只是一米的望遠鏡。

So while other telescopes like JWST

是以，雖然其他望遠鏡如JWST

identify more and more exoplanets,

識別越來越多的系外行星。

we can send out more and more

我們可以發出越來越多的

of these small cube set telescopes

的這些小立方體套裝望遠鏡

to the right sweet spots to see them.

到正確的甜蜜點去看它們。

So, both telescopes get to do with each two best.

是以，這兩臺望遠鏡都得到了與每兩個最好的。

Nice.

不錯。

- Initially, I thought it was a science fiction,

- 最初，我以為這是一部科幻小說。

totally unrealizable,

完全不可能實現的。

and now I think it's rather feasible.

而現在我認為這是相當可行的。

We have not found a show stopper.

我們還沒有找到一個展示的對象。

For the last 5,000 years,

在過去的五千年裡。

people would go on the steady night

人們會在穩定的夜晚去

and would wonder, are we alone?

並會想，我們是孤獨的嗎？

Is there life?

有生命嗎？

And so that's something that we can do

是以，這是我們可以做的事情。

with the solar gravitational lens,

與太陽引力透鏡。

and which is something excites me,

而這是令我興奮的事情。

and something that actually drives my life recently

和最近實際推動我生活的東西

for the last five years.

在過去的五年裡。

- Now, this all sounds awesome.

- 現在，這一切聽起來都很棒。

You're right. It is.

你是對的。它是。

And yes, look, this is still in the research phase

是的，看，這仍然處於研究階段

and no launches are planned,

並且沒有發射計劃。

but that's no reason to not get excited.

但這並不是不興奮的理由。

And let's go back to the original Blue Marble

讓我們回到最初的 "藍色大理石"。

that was taken in 1972.

那是在1972年拍攝的。

If this mission develops in the way Dr. Turyshev

如果這項任務按照圖裡舍夫博士的方式發展，那麼

and his team hopes,

和他的團隊希望。

we could have our first image of an exoplanet

我們可以得到第一張系外行星的影像

that looks like this by the 2060s,

到2060年代，看起來像這樣。

less than 100 years later.

不到100年後。

Let's hope we get to see it.

讓我們希望我們能看到它。

(bleep)

(嗶嗶聲)

- [Speaker 1] Do you need help?

- [發言人1]你需要幫助嗎？

- [Lizzie] I'm okay.

- [Lizzie] 我很好。

- [Matt] I feel like she would kind of wanna just see

- 我覺得她有點想看看

how the sausage gets made.

香腸是如何製作的。

- [Speaker 1] Absolutely not. (Matt chuckles)

- [發言人1]絕對不是。(Matt笑著說)