Namely the Bermuda Triangle, quicksand, and black holes.

即百慕大三角、流沙和黑洞。

Turns out, as an adult these things are way less of a day-to-day problem than I thought

原來，作為一個成年人，這些事情比我想象中的日常問題要小得多。

they'd be.

他們會是。

Now I'm lying awake at night all over again, because astronomers have just found the closest

現在我晚上又躺在床上睡不著覺了 因為天文學家剛剛找到了離我最近的一個星體

black hole to us yet, and they suggest there could be even more lurking out there in the universe.

他們認為宇宙中可能還潛伏著更多的黑洞。

Finding black holes is tricky, what with them capturing everything that strays too close,

尋找黑洞是件很棘手的事，因為它們能捕捉一切離得太近的東西。

including light.

包括光。

They are 'unseeable' by their very nature, and only the effects of their intense gravity

它們的本質是 "看不見 "的，只有它們強烈的引力所帶來的影響。

give them away.

把它們送人。

They are the sarlaccs of space, the insatiable invisible maw of destruction.

它們是空間的沙拉克斯，是貪婪的無形的毀滅之口。

So, it's a bit ironic that the researchers who found this nearby black hole weren't

所以，有點諷刺的是，發現附近這個黑洞的研究人員並不是?

even looking for it.

甚至尋找它。

The astronomers were looking at what they thought was a double star system called HR

天文學家正在觀察他們認為的雙星系統 HR

6819.

6819.

Not the most fear-inducing name I've ever heard of, but just wait.

這不是我聽過的最讓人恐懼的名字，但等著吧。

This pair of stars is close enough that it can be seen from the Southern Hemisphere without

這對恆星距離很近，從南半球可以看到它，不需要

any optical aids on a dark and clear night.

任何光學輔助工具在黑暗和清晰的夜晚。

While observing the stars, the astronomers noticed that what they were actually seeing

天文學家在觀測星空時，發現他們看到的其實是

was a three body system.

是一個三體系統。

The inner star appeared to orbit something once every 40 days, while the outer star orbited

內層恆星似乎每40天繞某物運行一次 而外層恆星則繞著某物運行

the pair much farther away, I assume out of a sense of self-preservation.

我想這對男女離得更遠，我想是出於一種自我保護的意識。

So, how did the researchers know the object the inner star was orbiting was a black hole?

那麼，研究人員是如何知道內恆星運行的物體是一個黑洞的呢？

Well, whatever it was orbiting was invisible, which is a pretty strong clue.

不管是什麼東西在軌道上運行都是看不見的 這是個很有力的線索。

But they could also use the inner star's orbit to determine the mass of its invisible

但他們也可以利用內部恆星的軌道來確定其不可見的品質。

partner, which they determined had a mass about four times that of our Sun.

他們確定它的品質是我們太陽的四倍。

Based on those two pieces of information, the third member of this stellar tango is

根據這兩個資訊，這支恆星探戈的第三位成員是：

most likely a black hole.

很可能是黑洞

This makes HR 6819 the first star system with a black hole that can be seen with the naked eye.

這使得HR 6819成為第一個用肉眼就能看到黑洞的恆星系統。

Perhaps the most intriguing thing, or worrying thing depending on how paranoid you are, is

也許最令人感興趣的事情，或者說最令人擔憂的事情，取決於你有多偏執，就是

just how mundane this black hole is.

只是這個黑洞是多麼的平凡。

Up until now, we've only spotted a few dozen black holes in our galaxy, and usually they

到目前為止，我們只在銀河系中發現了幾十個黑洞，而且通常是它們

stick out because of how violently they interact with their surroundings.

因為他們與周圍環境的互動非常激烈，所以很突出。

They're siphoning off matter from companion stars and blasting x-rays out into space.

它們從伴星吸走物質，並將X射線發射到太空。

By contrast, the black hole hidden in HR 6819 doesn't seem to be doing much of anything,

相比之下，隱藏在HR 6819中的黑洞似乎並沒有什麼作用。

so it appears truly black.

所以顯得真正的黑。

It's just quietly waltzing with its partners, minding its own business.

它只是靜靜地和夥伴們跳著華爾茲，管著自己的事。

But it's very existence hints at much more.

但它的存在卻暗示著更多的東西。

If we found one this close by and this easily, then in all likelihood there are many more

如果我們這麼近這麼容易就找到了一個 那麼很有可能還有更多的地方

black holes just like it throughout our galaxy.

黑洞就像它一樣遍佈銀河系。

We've long suspected that throughout the history of the Milky Way many stars must have

我們長期以來一直懷疑，在銀河系的歷史上，許多恆星一定是。

collapsed into themselves, and discovering this quiet black hole could explain why we

坍塌成自己，發現這個安靜的黑洞，可以解釋為什麼我們

haven't seen more yet.

還沒有看到更多。

The astronomers who led this study estimate that there must be hundreds of millions of

上司這項研究的天文學家估計，一定有數以億計的

them out there.

他們在那裡。

So, should you be terrified that there are scores of black holes around every corner

所以，你是否應該害怕，每個角落都有幾十個黑洞。

waiting to get you like an army of darkness?

像一支黑暗的軍隊一樣等待著你的到來？

In all seriousness, no.

認真說來，沒有。

HR 6819 is about 1,000 light years away.

HR 6819距離我們大約1000光年。

For perspective, the nearest star to our solar system is a little over four light years away.

為了便於觀察，離太陽系最近的恆星距離我們4光年多一點。

If anything, discovering this quiet black hole opens up opportunities to understand

如果說，發現這個安靜的黑洞，為我們提供了理解的機會。

how large stars evolve or how three body systems can trigger black hole mergers and stellar

大恆星如何演化或三體系統如何引發黑洞合併和恆星？

collisions.

碰撞。

And besides, if a black hole were to get you… you'd never see it coming.

而且，如果黑洞要抓你... 你永遠也不會看到它的到來。

Well, sleep tight everyone!

好了，大家睡個好覺吧!

Do you devour any information about black holes that comes within your reach?

你會吞噬任何你觸手可及的關於黑洞的資訊嗎？

Then check out our playlist on black holes here!

那就在這裡看看我們關於黑洞的播放列表吧!

Make sure to subscribe for more videos like this, and as always, thanks for watching.

一定要訂閱更多這樣的視頻，一如既往的感謝大家的觀看。

I'll see you next time.

下次見。