美国有线新闻 CNN NASA在阳光照射的月球表面发现水

How long does it take the moon to orbit Earth? One day, 27 hours, 27 days or one year? It takes just over 27 days for the moon to orbit the Earth. We can see it more often than that because of how fast the Earth rotates.

月球绕地球公转一周需要多长时间？一天，27小时，27天还是一年？月球绕地球公转一周只需27天多一点。因为地球自转的速度非常快，所以我们能经常看到它。

NASA says it's confirmed the presence of water on the sunlit surface of the moon but it's not like the lakes and rivers we see on Earth. Researchers have been making closer examinations of the moon's surface. Their tools include NASA's $580 million Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter and the $3 billion SOFIA Telescope which is mounted to a plane.

美国国家航空航天局（简称NASA）表示，他们已经确认阳光照射下的月球表面存在水，但并不像我们在地球上所看到的湖泊和河流。研究人员一直在对月球表面进行更仔细的检查。他们的工具包括美国国家航空航天局耗资5.8亿美元的月球勘测轨道飞行器和价值30亿美元、安装在飞机上的索非亚望远镜。

With the telescope, scientists examined the moon's surface through a wavelength¹ that the naked eye might not be able to see. And NASA says that detected water that's trapped in glass beads² or in between grains on certain parts of the moon.

科学家用望远镜看到肉眼可能看不到的波长来观察月球表面。美国国家航空航天局表示，在月球某些部分探测到的水被困在玻璃珠或颗粒之间。

It's not a lot. In one of the moon's largest craters³, it's about as much as a 12-ounce bottle of water according to NASA. With the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, scientists looked at moon areas that are always shadowed from the sun and theorized that many of these shadows could be filled with ice. They don't know for sure.

但量不是很多。据美国国家航空航天局称，在月球最大的陨石坑之一，水量大约相当于12盎司的瓶装水。利用月球勘测轨道飞行器，科学家观察了月球上经常被太阳遮蔽的区域，并推测这些阴影有许多可能被冰填满。但他们并不确定。

And if there is water here, no one knows exactly how it got there but NASA wants to do more research through future moon missions. It's difficult and expensive to carry water into space. If the moon has enough of it, it could help supply everything from rocket fuel to drinking water for visitors.

如果这里有水，没有人确切知道它是如何到达那里的，但美国国家航空航天局希望通过未来的月球任务进行更多研究。将水带到太空既困难又昂贵。如果月球有足够的水，就可以为游客提供从火箭燃料到饮用水的一切需求。

1 wavelength   

n.波长

参考例句：

• The authorities were unable to jam this wavelength.当局无法干扰这一波长。
• Radio One has broadcast on this wavelength for years.广播1台已经用这个波长广播多年了。

2 beads   

n.（空心）小珠子( bead的名词复数 )；水珠；珠子项链

参考例句：

• a necklace of wooden beads 一条木珠项链
• Beads of perspiration stood out on his forehead. 他的前额上挂着汗珠。

3 craters   

n.火山口( crater的名词复数 )；弹坑等

参考例句：

• Small meteorites have left impact craters all over the planet's surface. 这个行星的表面布满了小块陨石留下的撞击坑。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The battlefield was full of craters made by exploding shells. 战场上布满弹坑。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》