A recently discovered asteroid about the size of a house will make a relatively close pass by Earth on Sunday, flying just past the communication satellites that circle the planet, scientists said.
最近發現的一顆約房子大小的小行星，週日將相當近距離地行經地球，恰恰飛掠過繞行地球的通訊衛星，科學家指出。
NASA said the asteroid, known as 2014 RC, poses no threat, though at its closest approach it will be only about one-tenth the distance to the moon, or roughly 40,000 km from Earth. Communications and weather satellites are generally located in orbits about 36,000 km above the planet.
美國航空暨太空總署（NASA）指出，名為2014 RC的小行星不會構成威脅，雖然其最迫近時僅約地球與月球間10分之1的距離，或距離地球約4萬公里。通訊與氣象衛星通常位於地球上方3萬6000公里的軌道。
"While this celestial object does not appear to pose any threat to Earth or satellites, its close approach creates a unique opportunity for researchers to observe and learn more about asteroids," NASA said.
「這個天體顯然不會對地球或衛星造成任何威脅，它的臨近為研究人員製造了觀察並進一步瞭解小行星的獨特機會。」NASA說。
With a diameter of about 18 meters, Asteroid 2014 RC will be too dim to see with the naked eye, but amateur astronomers with small telescopes might be able to catch a glimpse as it zips by, NASA said.
鑑於其約18公尺的直徑，小行星2014 RC將過於朦朧無法以肉眼看到，但配備小型望遠鏡的業餘天文愛好人士，或許在它快速掠過時可驚鴻一瞥，NASA說。
Asteroid 2014 RC is slightly smaller than the 20-meter diameter asteroid that exploded over Chelyabinsk, Russia, last year. The shock wave from the explosion, estimated to have had 30 times more energy than the Hiroshima atomic bomb, blasted out windows and damaged buildings. More than 1,000 people were injured by flying glass and debris. （Reuters）
小行星2014 RC只比去年在俄羅斯車里雅賓斯克上空爆炸、直徑20公尺的小行星小一點。那次爆炸的震波震破窗戶並毀損建物，估計其釋放的能量是廣島原子彈的30倍。逾1000人因四散紛飛的玻璃與破瓦殘礫而受傷。（路透）
新聞辭典
buzz：（口語），動詞，低飛掠過、高速逼近。例句：The plane buzzed the crowd.（飛機低飛掠過人群。）
pose：動詞，造成、引起。例句：The protest movement poses a direct threat to their interests.（抗議運動對他們的利益構成直接威脅。）
catch a glimpse （of）：動詞片語，瞥見、看一看。例句：He sometimes went there to catch a glimpse of the mountain in the distance.（他有時去那兒看一看遠處的山。）
宏浩翻譯引用 http://iservice.ltn.com.tw/Service/english/english.php?engno=813852&day=2014-09-17
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