美国有线新闻 CNN 一年一度的天琴座流星雨降临

Which of these meteor showers is typically visible in April? Lyrids, Bootids, Perseids, or Ursids? The meteor shower that gets its name from the constellation¹ Lyra occurs in April.

下列哪种流星雨在四月比较常见？天琴座流星雨、牧夫座流星雨、英仙座流星雨还是小熊座流星雨？以天琴座命名的流星雨出现在四月。

And scientists say that's because the Lyrids appear to originate from near that constellation. But don't just take their word for it. On Tuesday and especially Wednesday night, you can see the Lyrids for yourself if the weather's clear. It's the first meteor shower of Spring. The American Meteor Society says the best time for viewing it will probably be between midnight and 5 a.m. But if that's too late or too early for you, astronomers² say some slower longer meteors will streak³ over our heads in the hours before midnight. Here's why this is happening. There's a comet named Thatcher⁴. It leaves a trail of debris⁵ behind it as it rockets through space. The Earth passes through that debris in April. And the shooting stars that are really Thatcher's meteors burn up in our atmosphere.

科学家表示，这是因为天琴座流星雨似乎起源于该星座附近。但不要听信他们的话。如果天气晴朗，星期二，尤其是星期三，人们可以自已观看天琴座流星雨。这是春天的第一场流星雨。美国流星协会表示，观赏流星雨的最佳时间为午夜至凌晨5点之间。但天文学家表示，如果这个时间段对你来说太晚或太早，午夜前的几个小时，可能会有一些速度较慢、时间较长的流星掠过我们的头顶。下面来解释一下发生天琴座流星雨的原因。有一颗名为“佘契尔”的彗星。它在太空中迅速移动时，在身后留下了一串碎片。地球在四月时会穿过这些碎片。这一流星雨实际上是佘契尔彗星的碎片在大气层中燃烧。

1 constellation   

n.星座n.灿烂的一群

参考例句：

• A constellation is a pattern of stars as seen from the earth. 一个星座只是从地球上看到的某些恒星的一种样子。
• The Big Dipper is not by itself a constellation. 北斗七星本身不是一个星座。

2 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》

3 streak   

n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动

参考例句：

• The Indians used to streak their faces with paint.印第安人过去常用颜料在脸上涂条纹。
• Why did you streak the tree?你为什么在树上刻条纹？

4 thatcher   

n.茅屋匠

参考例句：

• Tom Sawyer was in the skiff that bore Judge Thatcher. 汤姆 - 索亚和撒切尔法官同乘一条小艇。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险
• Mrs. Thatcher was almost crazed; and Aunt Polly, also. 撒切尔夫人几乎神经失常，还有波莉姨妈也是。 来自英汉文学 - 汤姆历险

5 debris   

n.瓦砾堆，废墟，碎片

参考例句：

• After the bombing there was a lot of debris everywhere.轰炸之后到处瓦砾成堆。
• Bacteria sticks to food debris in the teeth,causing decay.细菌附着在牙缝中的食物残渣上，导致蛀牙。