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It's not quite a spitting image of Earth, but a newfound planet just might be similar enough to support life.
这个新发现的星球与地球并不是一模一样，但它与地球的相似之处足以支持生命的存在。
The world is one of three tentatively identified new exoplanets orbiting the star HD 40307. The outermost planet, HD 40307 g, orbits comfortably in the habitable zone, where Earth-like temperatures are possible. That means HD 40307 g could have liquid water on the surface—a probable prerequisite for life. The research is in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.
经初步确认有三个绕着恒星 HD 40307 转动的系外行星，而新发现的星球也是其中一员。最外层行星 HD 40307 在“适居带”轨道上运转，在这片区域内，星球表面可能有类似地球的温度。这意味着 HD 40307 表面可能存在液态水，而水是生命的前提条件。这项研究发表在《天文学和天体物理学》杂志上。
But the planet is at least seven times as massive as Earth. So it could be a supersize version of our planet. Or it might be a scaled-down Neptune. A mini-Neptune would lack a solid surface and probably would not be an ideal habitat for life.
这个行星的体积几乎是地球的7倍。因此它可能成为“超级地球”，或者成为小版的海王星。“迷你海王星”虽然缺少固体表面，但仍然是生命的理想摇篮。
The star in question was already known to host three planets, so the total could reach six if the new finds are independently confirmed.
我们已经知道，这个恒星是三颗行星的母行星，所以如果能分别证实新的三个发现，那么总数可能达到六颗。
Confirmation is hardly assured. Two years ago some of the same astronomers involved in this work said they had located a potentially habitable planet called Gliese 581 g. But other researchers disputed the finding, and that planet's existence has been in limbo ever since. As usual, more data should settle the argument.
证实这些发现很难。两年前，一些参与这项研究的天文学家说，他们可能发现了一个适于居住的行星，并给其命名为 Gliese 581 g。但其他研究人员就这一发现提出质疑，自此这颗行星是否存在就一直悬而未决。同以往一样，要解决争端就必须找出更多数据。
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