宇宙中可能存在其他“地球”

The Kepler orbiting observatory was launched with a simple mission - to find other Earths. NASA describes it as 'a search for habitable planets.'

随着一项简单的任务，寻找其他“地球”，开普勒轨道天文台启动。美国宇航局将其描述为“一次对可居住的星球的搜寻”。

And analysis of its first 136 days of data has already begun - with scientists combing through scans of 150,000 stars, and evidence of 1,235 potential planets.

通过扫描浏览150,000颗恒星，科学家们已经开始分析梳理头136天的数据，结果表明有1,235颗可能的行星。

Such information is fascinating in itself - but it also allows scientists to work out projections using statistical analysis.

这类消息本身很吸引人的，但同时也需要科学家们运用数据分析得出推测。

One analysis has predicted that one-third of 'sun-like' stars - stars with the classification F, G or K - will have planets similar to Earth.

一项分析推测，三分之一的类太阳恒星，即F, G 或 K类恒星，将会有类似地球的行星存在。

Traub says, “About one-third of FGK stars are predicted to have at least one terrestrial, habitable-zone planet.”

Traub说：“根据预测，大约三分之一的F, G 或 K类类恒星会至少有一个行星类似地球，拥有可居住区域。”

Traub used statistical analysis to 'predict' planets that had not been detected by Kepler, and whether they would be within the 'habitable zone'. Traub's analysis hints that there may be even more potential 'Earths' orbiting them than previously thought - and that this 'principle' would extend to stars not yet scanned by Kepler.

Traub运用数据分析推测出尚未被开普勒轨道天文台侦察到的行星，同时推测出是否有可居住区域。这项分析暗示，或许有比从前预想的更多的潜在“地球”在进行着轨道运动，这一原则将会拓展到还没被开普勒轨道天文台扫描到的地区。

Some commenters felt that Traub's 'habitable zones' were too generous, it included planets shrouded in icy clouds of carbon dioxide.

一些批评家们觉得，Traub的“可居住区”太过笼统，还包括了被结冰的二氧化碳云层笼罩的行星。

The $600 million Kepler spacecraft, which launched in March 2009, is staring continuously at a patch of sky containing about 150,000 stars in the Cygnus constellation.

2009年3月，花费6亿美元的开普勒宇宙飞船发射，一直不断的探测着包含着150,000颗恒星的天鹅座。

The high-tech equipment analyses each stars' light every 30 minutes, watching for telltale dips in brightness which may indicate a planet is crossing its path.

高科技设备分析了每一颗恒星每30分钟的光，等待他们沐浴在光亮下的迹象，这意味着一刻行星正在通过它的路径。

Sophisticated sifting software is used to send the data to earth-bound scientists, who scour the results. As Kepler continues to scan, data - and analyses such as Traub's paper - will continue to become more accurate.

复杂精致的筛选软件被用于给地球上的科学家发送数据，他们负责弄清楚结果。随着开普勒轨道天文台的继续扫描，数据与分析（例如Traub文件）将会继续变得更加准确。