寻找系外行星

山西 雷建荣

天文学家发现了一颗叫作K2-18b(也叫“超级地球”)的系外行星，该行星存在和地球相似的大气环境，但科学家称该行星是否满足生命存在的条件还需进一步探究。

A new study focuses on K2-18b, an exoplanet (系外行星) discovered in 2015, orbits a red dwarf star close enough to receive about the same amount of radiation from its star as Earth does from our sun.

Previously, scientists have discovered gas giants that have water in their atmospheres, but this is the least giant planet ever to have water detected in its atmosphere. “The water detection was quite clear to us relatively early on,” lead author Björn Benneke, a professor at the Institute for Research on Exoplanets at the Université de Montréal, told Space.com in an interview.

Studies have suggested that planets with hydrogen-rich atmospheres could host certain forms of life, Benneke said. However, K2-18b's large atmosphere is extremely thick and creates high-pressure conditions, which “likely prevents life as we know it from existing on the planet's surface”, a news release reads. While these researchers found evidence for liquid water clouds on K2-18b, because of its lack of surface, rain wouldn't pool on the planet. Without a real surface, so to speak, landing on the planet would also be nearly impossible, especially because the gas is so thick and has such an incredibly high pressure that any Earth-created spacecraft sent there would be destroyed.

Benneke suggests that, possibly, this planet formed by rock absorbing large amounts of gas, “like a vacuum cleaner”, he said. This absorbed gas would have more than doubled the planet and increased its volume eight fold.

To come to these conclusions, the research team analyzed the data from Hubble Space Telescope's observations that they made between 2016 and 2017 of the K2-18b planet passing in front of its star eight times. “This type of research,” Benneke said, “is leading toward a final goal of being able to study real, true Earth-like planets.” “We are not quite there yet,” he said, but this is really exciting.

1. Why is it impossible to land on the K2-18b?

A. It has too much water.

B. It is too hot to get close to.

C. It is too far from the Earth.

D It doesn't have a real surface.

2. How does K2-18b expand according to Benneke?

A. By releasing gas itself.

B. By receiving radiation from the sun.

C. By taking in much gas by rocks.

D. By getting away from the red dwarf star.

3. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

A. Scientists have succeeded in exploring K2-18b completely.

B. It is impossible for humans to land on other Earth-like planets.

C. Scientists are making progress in studying real Earth-like planets.

D. The K2-18b planet has passed before its star eight times between 2016 and 2017.

4. What is the text mainly about?

A. The research on the K2-18b planet.

B. The solar system's environment.

C. The discovery of the K2-18b planet.

D. The exploration of the outer space.

Difficult sentence

To come to these conclusions, the research team analyzed the data from Hubble Space Telescope's observations that they made between 2016 and 2017 of the K2-18b planet passing in front of its star eight times. 为了得出这些结论，研究小组分析了来自哈勃太空望远镜观察的数据，这些观察是在2016年至2017年K2-18b行星八次经过其恒星前时进行的。

【点石成金】To come to these conclusions为动词不定式作目的状语，that引导的是定语从句，先行词为observations；passing in front of its star为现在分词短语作后置定语。