【英语时差8,16】什么是视差和如何计算它（下）

This is an exciting discovery, because we can now use parallax to judge the distance to objects out in space. Here’s how. Because the earth moves around the sun in one year’s time, every six months it is as far away from where it was six months ago as it can get. That distance is like the distance between your eyes. Images taken of a far off object in January can be compared with images of the object in July. The apparent motion of the object due to parallax tells us how far away it is from earth. But wait! How do you know that your telescope is pointed¹ in exactly the right direction? By aligning² it with the so-called “fixed stars” — stars so far away they show no parallax motion whatsoever³. Against that unmoving background, the closer stars can be picked out.

1 pointed   

adj.尖的，直截了当的

参考例句：

• He gave me a very sharp pointed pencil.他给我一支削得非常尖的铅笔。
• She wished to show Mrs.John Dashwood by this pointed invitation to her brother.她想通过对达茨伍德夫人提出直截了当的邀请向她的哥哥表示出来。

2 aligning   

n. (直线)对准 动词align的现在分词形式

参考例句：

• There are signs that the prime minister is aligning himself with the liberals. 有迹象表明首相正在与自由党人结盟。
• ToolTips provide textual hints that assist in drawing lines and aligning objects. 工具提示提供了协助画线和对象对齐的文本提示。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

3 whatsoever   

adv.（用于否定句中以加强语气）任何；pron.无论什么

参考例句：

• There's no reason whatsoever to turn down this suggestion.没有任何理由拒绝这个建议。
• All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you,do ye even so to them.你想别人对你怎样，你就怎样对人。