A newly discovered comet is passing through our solar system for the first time in more than 400 years.
一颗新发现的彗星400多年来首次穿过我们的太阳系。
Scientists say star watchers across the Northern Hemisphere should look to the sky as soon as possible, either this week or early next. They say it will be another 400 years before the comet returns to our neighborhood.
科学家表示，北半球的观星者应该尽快观测天空，无论是本周还是下周初。他们说，这颗彗星还需要400年才能回到我们附近。
The comet's official name is C/2023 P1 Nishimura. It is about one kilometer wide. Comet Nishimura will travel to within 125 million kilometers of the Earth on September 12.
这颗彗星的官方名称是C/2023P1西村彗星。它宽约一公里。西村彗星将于9月12日到达距离地球1.25亿公里以内的地方。
The comet was discovered in August by a Japanese star watcher, Hideo Nishimura. He discovered the comet using 30-second-long exposures with a digital camera.
这颗彗星是由日本观星者西村秀夫于8月发现的。他用数码相机进行了30秒长的曝光，发现了这颗彗星。
The American space agency NASA says the comet has increased in brightness as it crosses our solar system. As the comet heads closer to the Sun, it will continue to get brighter.
美国宇航局表示，这颗彗星在穿越太阳系时亮度有所增加。随着彗星向太阳靠近，它将继续变得更亮。
Early risers should look toward the northeastern horizon about 90 minutes before sunrise. The comet will be less than 10 degrees above the horizon making it difficult to see.
早起者应该在日出前90分钟左右眺望东北地平线。彗星离地平线不到10度，因此很难看到。
Paul Chodas is head of NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies. He said, "You really need a good pair of binoculars to pick it out and you also need to know where to look."
保罗·乔达斯是美国宇航局近地天体研究中心的负责人。他说：“你真的需要一副好的双筒望远镜才能把它找出来，你还需要知道去哪里看。”
The comet will come closest to the sun on about September 17. Then it will leave the solar system. Chodas said that the comet is "likely to survive its passage," meaning he does not believe it will burn up near the sun.
这颗彗星将于9月17日左右离太阳最近。然后它将离开太阳系。乔达斯说，这颗彗星在掠过太阳系时“很可能会幸存下来”，这意味着乔达斯认为它不会在太阳附近燃烧殆尽。
Italian astronomer Gianluca Masi is the founder of the Virtual Telescope Project. He said in an email to the Associated Press that the next week represents "the last, feasible chances" to see the comet from the Northern Hemisphere before it is lost in the sun's glare.
意大利天文学家詹卢卡·马西是虚拟望远镜项目的创始人。他在给美联社的一封电子邮件中说，下周是从北半球观测西村彗星的最后也是最可行的时机，之后它将“消失在太阳光芒中”。
"The comet looks amazing right now, with a long, highly structured tail, a joy to image with a telescope," he said.
他说：“这颗彗星现在看起来很神奇，它拖一条长长的、高度结构化的尾巴，用望远镜成像是一种享受。”
If it survives its passage by the sun, the comet should be visible in the Southern Hemisphere by the end of September, Masi said.
马西说，如果它在掠过太阳时没有解体，那么到9月底，这颗彗星应该可以在南半球看到。
Professional astronomers use powerful telescopes around the world to watch the sky. It is unusual for a non-professional sky watcher to discover a comet these days. Chodas of NASA said of Nishimura's discovery, "This is his third find, so good for him."
专业天文学家使用世界各地强大的望远镜观测天空。对于非专业的天空观测者来说，如今发现彗星是不寻常的。美国宇航局的乔达斯在谈到西村的发现时说：“这是他的第三次发现，对他来说太棒了。”
The comet last visited about 430 years ago, Chodas said.
乔达斯说，这颗彗星上次造访太阳系大约是在430年前。
I'm Mario Ritter, Jr.
我是小马里奥·里特。(51VOA.COM原创翻译，请勿转载，违者必究！)