The sun has gone "completely blank" for the second time this month suggesting that Earth could be heading for a mini ICE AGE.
本月已經(jīng)第二次出現(xiàn)太陽(yáng)黑子“完全消失”，這預(yù)示著地球可能迎來(lái)迷你冰期。

Earlier this month, there were no sunspots on the massive star's surface for four days - something which hadn't happened since 2011. This has since happened again.
本月早些時(shí)候，這顆巨大恒星的表面持續(xù)4天沒(méi)有太陽(yáng)黑子。這種情況自2011年就沒(méi)再出現(xiàn)過(guò)。現(xiàn)在，它又發(fā)生了。

A lack of sun spots is totally normal, but it does hint that the sun is heading for its next "solar minimum phase".
太陽(yáng)黑子減少是完全正常的，但這確實(shí)暗示了太陽(yáng)正步入下一個(gè)“太陽(yáng)活動(dòng)極小期”。

The next solar minimum phase is expected to take place in 2019 or 2020, says meteorologist Paul Dorian of Vencore Weather, who expects to see an increasing number of spotless days over the next few years.
美國(guó)Vencore公司的氣象學(xué)者保羅?多里安說(shuō)，下一個(gè)太陽(yáng)活動(dòng)極小期預(yù)計(jì)開(kāi)始于2019年或2020年。他預(yù)測(cè)未來(lái)幾年將會(huì)看到更多沒(méi)有太陽(yáng)黑子的日子。

The last time the sun saw a such a long phase with no sunspots, it ushered in what scientists refer to as a the 'Maunder Minimum' back in 1645.
上一次如此長(zhǎng)時(shí)間不見(jiàn)太陽(yáng)黑子，地球就迎來(lái)了科學(xué)家所說(shuō)的“蒙德極小期”。那是在1645年。

This caused temperatures to plunge dramatically, and even resulted in the Thames freezing over.
那時(shí)的氣溫大幅度下降，泰晤士河甚至全面結(jié)冰。

Some experts think that a similar mini ice age could be coming again soon.
一些專家認(rèn)為，類似的迷你冰期不久可能會(huì)再次到來(lái)。

The solar phenomenon could even prove dangerous for astronauts, says Paul Dorian.
保羅?多里安說(shuō)，這種太陽(yáng)現(xiàn)象甚至可能對(duì)宇航員構(gòu)成危險(xiǎn)。

During these spotless phases of the sun, extreme ultraviolet radiation drops, resulting in lower aerodynamic drag as the Earth's atmosphere cools and contracts.
在太陽(yáng)黑子消失的時(shí)期，極紫外輻射下降，地球大氣層冷卻收縮，導(dǎo)致氣動(dòng)阻力變小。

The lower drag can cause space junk to accumulate in orbit, which could result in a collision with the International Space Station or other spacecraft.
阻力變小會(huì)使太空垃圾積聚在軌道上，可能會(huì)與國(guó)際空間站或其他航天器相撞。

Vocabulary

aerodynamic drag: 空氣動(dòng)力阻力

英文來(lái)源：鏡報(bào)
譯者：實(shí)習(xí)生徐曉彤
審校&編輯：丹妮