2019年经济学人 被光闪瞎(2)

 

In later exchanges, though, he struck a more understanding tone.

然而在随后的交谈中，他的语气更加体谅。

Starlink would avoid the frequencies associated with radio astronomy, he said,

他表示，星链将避免和射电天文学有关的频率，

and if the satellites' orientations¹ needed to be tweaked to minimise solar reflection

如果在关键天文实验期间，需要调整卫星定向

during critical astronomical² experiments, that could easily be done.

以将太阳反射减少到最小，那么这也很容易做到。

Moreover, as the initial Starlink satellites moved into their operational configuration³ after the weekend,

此外，随着最初星链卫星在周末之后移动进入航行状态，

their brightness dropped—though they still occasionally flared⁴ as they crossed the sky,

它们的亮度下降—虽然它们在划过天空时偶尔还会闪光

probably because of reflections from their large solar panels.

这可能是因为它们巨大的太阳能电池板反射的光。

Mr Musk⁵ also seemed, in his tweets, to suggest that the aims of Starlink outweighed⁶ the harms.

马斯克似乎也在推特中暗示，星链的目标比危害重要。

"Potentially helping⁷ billions of economically disadvantaged people is the greater good.

“帮助数十亿经济上的弱势群体是一件更好的事。

That said, we'll make sure Starlink has no material effect on discoveries in astronomy. We care a great deal about science."

即便如此，我们将确保星链对天文学的发现不会产生任何实质性影响。我们非常关心科学。”

His assertion has merit. The problem, as Mark McCaughrean,

他的主张是有道理的。如欧洲航天局

senior adviser⁸ for science and exploration at the European Space Agency, observes,

科学与探索高级顾问Mark McCaughrean所观察，

is that there has been little public discussion of the matter.

问题是公众很少讨论这个问题。

From his point of view the night sky is a public commons that risks appropriation⁹ in the name of private interest.

从他的观点来看，夜空是一个冒着以私人利益为名挪用风险的公共领域。

Whether that appropriation serves the greater good should at least be a matter of debate.

不论挪用是否有效，更大的利益至少应该是一个有争议的问题。

For now, astronomers¹⁰ plan to carry out further simulations of the potential impacts of Starlink

目前天文学家计划对星链以及其他由OneWeb等公司计划的

and other communication-satellite networks planned by companies such as OneWeb.

通信卫星网络潜在影响进行进一步模拟。

But even when that work is complete, it is unclear what they can actually do to make SpaceX

但即使这项工作完成了，也不清楚他们究竟能做些什么

and its competitors listen to their concerns, for there is no legislation to regulate the impact of satellites on the night sky.

使SpaceX及其竞争者倾听他们的担忧，因为没有法律管控夜空卫星的影响。

America's Federal Communications Commission does concern itself with

美国联邦通讯委员会确实很担心

how satellites use the available radio spectrum¹¹ and with what happens to them after they have done their job.

卫星如何利用现有的无线电频谱以及它们完成工作后会发生什么。

But that is it. With the coming mega-constellations of communications satellites,

但仅此而已。随着即将到来的通信卫星巨型星丛，

it is perhaps time for this to change, and for governments (not only America's) to involve themselves more deeply in the uses of heaven.

也许是时候改变了，政府（不仅仅是美国政府）也是时候更加深入地参与到对天空的使用之中。

1 orientations   

n.方向( orientation的名词复数 )；定位；（任职等前的）培训；环境判定

参考例句：

• Welfare comparisons are also hindered by differences in orientations among economic systems. 经济制度之间倾向性的差别也会妨碍福利的比较。 来自辞典例句
• Their different value orientations led to different results in literary creation. 价值取向的分野亦导致了不同的创作局面。 来自互联网

2 astronomical   

adj.天文学的，（数字）极大的

参考例句：

• He was an expert on ancient Chinese astronomical literature.他是研究中国古代天文学文献的专家。
• Houses in the village are selling for astronomical prices.乡村的房价正在飙升。

3 configuration   

n.结构，布局，形态，(计算机)配置

参考例句：

• Geographers study the configuration of the mountains.地理学家研究山脉的地形轮廓。
• Prices range from $119 to $199,depending on the particular configuration.价格因具体配置而异，从119美元至199美元不等。

4 Flared   

adj. 端部张开的, 爆发的, 加宽的, 漏斗式的 动词flare的过去式和过去分词

参考例句：

• The match flared and went out. 火柴闪亮了一下就熄了。
• The fire flared up when we thought it was out. 我们以为火已经熄灭，但它突然又燃烧起来。

5 musk   

n.麝香, 能发出麝香的各种各样的植物，香猫

参考例句：

• Musk is used for perfume and stimulant.麝香可以用作香料和兴奋剂。
• She scented her clothes with musk.她用麝香使衣服充满了香味。

6 outweighed   

v.在重量上超过( outweigh的过去式和过去分词 )；在重要性或价值方面超过

参考例句：

• This boxer outweighed by his opponent 20 pounds. 这个拳击选手体重比他的对手重20磅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• She outweighed me by ten pounds, and sometimes she knocked me down. 她的体重超过我十磅，有时竟把我撞倒。 来自百科语句

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 adviser   

n.劝告者，顾问

参考例句：

• They employed me as an adviser.他们聘请我当顾问。
• Our department has engaged a foreign teacher as phonetic adviser.我们系已经聘请了一位外籍老师作为语音顾问。

9 appropriation   

n.拨款，批准支出

参考例句：

• Our government made an appropriation for the project.我们的政府为那个工程拨出一笔款项。
• The council could note an annual appropriation for this service.议会可以为这项服务表决给他一笔常年经费。

10 astronomers   

n.天文学者，天文学家( astronomer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Astronomers can accurately foretell the date,time,and length of future eclipses. 天文学家能精确地预告未来日食月食的日期、时刻和时长。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Astronomers used to ask why only Saturn has rings. 天文学家们过去一直感到奇怪，为什么只有土星有光环。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。