“朱诺”飞船靠近木星

Spacecraft Moving in for Jupiter Close-up “朱诺”飞船靠近木星

Jupiter, our solar system’s largest planet, is about to show its secrets.

On July 4, a NASA spacecraft will enter Jupiter’s orbit and start sending data back to Earth. It will be the first time scientists will be able to see what lies under the planet’s thick atmosphere and clouds.

People around the world will be able to follow the mission online.

To do so, download software called Eyes on the Solar System from the NASA website.

Juno mission

The mission is called Juno, after the spacecraft that will take the pictures.

Its name tells the story of the mission. Juno was an ancient Roman goddess. In Roman mythology¹, Juno could see through clouds. Scientists say their Juno’s mission will be to look under Jupiter’s clouds to show its mysteries. Scientists hope to learn what is inside the planet, how it was formed, and other important information.

NASA, America’s space agency, launched the Juno spacecraft five years ago from Florida.

NASA announcer: “And liftoff of the Atlas² 5 with Juno on a trek³ to Jupiter, a planetary piece of the puzzle on the beginning of our solar system.”

Finally, on the evening of July 4, Juno will fire its main engine and go into orbit around Jupiter.

For the next 20 months, the spacecraft will circle Jupiter around its poles 37 times and map the whole surface of the planet. Juno will also study the planet’s auroras.

But Jupiter presents a hostile environment for the spacecraft. Juno project scientist Steve Levin explains.

“Jupiter is the biggest, baddest planet in the solar system, and it's got a bigger magnetic field, bigger aurora⁴, bigger radiation belts, bigger gravity. Everything about it, really, is bigger.”

In fact, the radiation is so intense that scientists built a protective vault⁵, or box, to keep the electronics of the spacecraft safe.

“... which is basically a huge titanium box, and we've put all our most sensitive electronics inside the vault to help protect it against the damage that Jupiter would do (to) us.”

Jupiter

NASA says it hopes the data from Juno will tell scientists more about the planet's beginnings, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.

This is a big job, partly because Jupiter is the largest and most massive planet in our solar system. It contains more than two times the amount of material of all the other bodies orbiting our sun combined, according to NASA. Most of the material left over after the sun was made went to Jupiter and formed what is called a gas giant.

There is no solid surface, but scientists think there may be a solid center, about the size of Earth.

Colorful cloud bands and spots make a pretty picture of the planet. Jupiter is especially known for the Great Red Spot, a spinning oval of clouds that is much wider than Earth.

NASA says Jupiter’s spots and clouds come from the planet’s fast rotation⁶ — it spins around completely in only 10 hours.

NASA says the speed creates jet streams that turn the clouds into bands. Because there is no solid surface to slow them down, Jupiter’s spots and clouds can last a very long time.

In addition, NASA says Jupiter has at least 62 moons. Together they form a kind of miniature solar system.

Kevin Hussey is NASA’s Visualization⁷ Technology Manager. He says that starting on Monday, you can tune⁸ in to see history in the making.

“On the night of July 4th, you're going to be able to witness this historic event, the Juno spacecraft being captured by Jupiter into orbit...”

And that event, scientists hope, may shine light on how our solar system was formed.

Words in This Story

mythology – n. the myths of a particular group or culture

aurora – n. streamers or arches of light appearing in the upper atmosphere of a planet's magnetic polar regions caused emission⁹ of light from atoms

vault – n. a room or place for safekeeping valuables

magnetosphere – n. an area of space surrounding an object in space that is dominated by the object’s magnetic field

rotation – n. the act of moving around a central point

jet stream – n. a strong current of fast winds high above a planet’s surface

1 mythology   

n.神话，神话学，神话集

参考例句：

• In Greek mythology,Zeus was the ruler of Gods and men.在希腊神话中，宙斯是众神和人类的统治者。
• He is the hero of Greek mythology.他是希腊民间传说中的英雄。

2 atlas   

n.地图册，图表集

参考例句：

• He reached down the atlas from the top shelf.他从书架顶层取下地图集。
• The atlas contains forty maps,including three of Great Britain.这本地图集有40幅地图，其中包括3幅英国地图。

3 trek   

vi.作长途艰辛的旅行；n.长途艰苦的旅行

参考例句：

• We often go pony-trek in the summer.夏季我们经常骑马旅行。
• It took us the whole day to trek across the rocky terrain.我们花了一整天的时间艰难地穿过那片遍布岩石的地带。

4 aurora   

n.极光

参考例句：

• The aurora is one of nature's most awesome spectacles.极光是自然界最可畏的奇观之一。
• Over the polar regions we should see aurora.在极地高空,我们会看到极光。

5 vault   

n.拱形圆顶，地窖，地下室

参考例句：

• The vault of this cathedral is very high.这座天主教堂的拱顶非常高。
• The old patrician was buried in the family vault.这位老贵族埋在家族的墓地里。

6 rotation   

n.旋转；循环，轮流

参考例句：

• Crop rotation helps prevent soil erosion.农作物轮作有助于防止水土流失。
• The workers in this workshop do day and night shifts in weekly rotation.这个车间的工人上白班和上夜班每周轮换一次。

7 visualization   

n.想像，设想

参考例句：

• In 2D visualization and drawing applications, vertical and horizontal scrolling are common. 在二维的可视化及绘图应用中，垂直和水平滚动非常普遍。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Ophthalmoscopy affords the only opportunity for direct visualization of blood vessels. 检眼镜检查法提供直接观察血管的唯一机会。

8 tune   

n.调子；和谐，协调；v.调音，调节，调整

参考例句：

• He'd written a tune,and played it to us on the piano.他写了一段曲子，并在钢琴上弹给我们听。
• The boy beat out a tune on a tin can.那男孩在易拉罐上敲出一首曲子。

9 emission   

n.发出物，散发物；发出，散发

参考例句：

• Rigorous measures will be taken to reduce the total pollutant emission.采取严格有力措施，降低污染物排放总量。
• Finally,the way to effectively control particulate emission is pointed out.最后，指出有效降低颗粒排放的方向。