01 引言
We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star.But we can understand the universe. That makes us something very special. - Stephen Hawking
我们只是一颗寻常恒星的一颗小小行星上的一种高等猴子。但是我们可以理解宇宙，这使我们非常特别。—— 史蒂芬•霍金
02 词汇目标
- galaxy | cosmos | universe | interstellar
- terrestrial | celestial | astronomy | astrology | astronaut
- comet | meteorite | crater
- dust | ash | envelope | chunk
- spacecraft | spaceship | probe | module
- propulsion | pressure | dynamics | motion
- vent | tail | curve
- exploration | expedition | flyby
- observatory | telescope | spectacle
- orbit | ecliptic | diameter | radius
- substance | composition | compound
- fossil | sample | specimen
- particle | molecule | atom | ion | electron | quantum
- liquid | fluid | solid
- synthesise | formation | method
- spectrum | dimension | frequency
- signal | antenna | circuit
- refraction | ultraviolet | radioactive
- distinct | discernible | invisible
- collision | squash | fragment
- cataclysmic | overwhelming | desperate | hopeless
03 单词详解
参考：我的公众号《IELTS学习之路（05）-单词（太空探索篇）》
04 应用
原文地址：https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astronomy
Astronomy (from Ancient Greek ἀστρονομία (astronomía) ‘science that
studies the laws of the stars’) is a natural science that studies
celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and
chemistry in order to explain their origin and evolution. Objects of
interest include planets, moons, stars, nebulae, galaxies, and comets.
Relevant phenomena include supernova explosions, gamma ray bursts,
quasars, blazars, pulsars, and cosmic microwave background radiation.
More generally, astronomy studies everything that originates beyond
Earth’s atmosphere. Cosmology is a branch of astronomy that studies
the universe as a whole.
Astronomy is one of the oldest natural sciences. The early civilizations in recorded history made methodical observations of the night sky. These include the Babylonians, Greeks, Indians, Egyptians, Chinese, Maya, and many ancient indigenous peoples of the Americas. In the past, astronomy included disciplines as diverse as astrometry, celestial navigation, observational astronomy, and the making of calendars. Nowadays, professional astronomy is often said to be the same as astrophysics.
Professional astronomy is split into observational and theoretical branches. Observational astronomy is focused on acquiring data from observations of astronomical objects. This data is then analyzed using basic principles of physics. Theoretical astronomy is oriented toward
the development of computer or analytical models to describe astronomical objects and phenomena. These two fields complement each
other. Theoretical astronomy seeks to explain observational results and observations are used to confirm theoretical results.
Astronomy is one of the few sciences in which amateurs play an active
role. This is especially true for the discovery and observation of transient events. Amateur astronomers have helped with many important discoveries, such as finding new comets.
有道翻译：
天文学(源自古希腊ἀστρονομ tsin (astronomía)“研究恒星规律的科学”)是研究天体和天体现象的自然科学。它使用数学、物理和化学来解释它们的起源和演变。感兴趣的物体包括行星、卫星、恒星、星云、星系和彗星。相关现象包括超新星爆炸、伽马射线爆发、类星体、耀变体、脉冲星和宇宙微波背景辐射。更一般地说，天文学研究的是地球大气层以外的一切事物。宇宙学是天文学的一个分支，研究宇宙作为一个整体。
天文学是最古老的自然科学之一。有记载的早期文明对夜空进行了系统的观测。其中包括巴比伦人、希腊人、印度人、埃及人、中国人、玛雅人以及美洲许多古老的土著民族。在过去，天文学包括天体测量学、天体导航学、观测天文学和历法制作等多种学科。如今，专业天文学常被说成是天体物理学。
专业天文学分为观测和理论两个分支。观测天文学专注于从天文物体的观测中获取数据。然后使用基本的物理原理对这些数据进行分析。理论天文学的方向是发展计算机或分析模型来描述天文物体和现象。这两个领域相辅相成。理论天文学试图解释观测结果，观测结果被用来证实理论结果。
天文学是业余爱好者发挥积极作用的少数几门科学之一。对于瞬态事件的发现和观测尤其如此。业余天文学家为许多重要的发现做出了贡献，比如发现了新的彗星。
