一颗新发现的足球形状的行星正在向太空中喷射重金属

Just when we think we've seen every type of world — gas giants, dwarfs, terrestrials, even precious puffy planets — along comes another new model to prove that planets are the ultimate non-conformists.

就在我们以为我们已经看到了所有类型的世界——气态巨行星、矮行星、陆地生物，甚至是珍贵的膨胀行星——又出现了一个新的模型来证明行星是终极的不墨守成规者。

The planet, spotted this week by the Hubble Space Telescope, is dubbed WASP-121b. But don't be fooled by the name; this is no white Anglo-Saxon planet. It's different — from its weird, wobbly dimensions to its penchant for blasting heavy metal into the universe.

这颗行星本周被哈勃太空望远镜发现，被命名为WASP-121b。但不要被这个名字所迷惑;这不是盎格鲁-撒克逊白人的星球。它是不同的——从它怪异的、摇摆不定的维度到它向宇宙中喷射重金属的嗜好。

WASP-121b lives so close to its star, the planet is practically on fire, blazing to the tune of 4,600 degrees Fahrenheit, or 2,540 Celsius. In fact, its upper atmosphere is about 10 times hotter than any other known planetary atmosphere.

WASP-121b生活在离它的恒星如此之近的地方，这颗行星简直是着火了，燃烧的温度高达4600华氏度(合2540摄氏度)。事实上，它的上层大气温度是任何已知行星大气温度的10倍。

The plane, which resides about 900 light-years from Earth, is far more likely to burn out than fade away. Its upper atmosphere is hot enough that — for the first time — scientists detected heavy metals like iron and magnesium dying to get out.

这架距离地球约900光年的飞机很可能会燃烧殆尽，而不是逐渐消失。它的上层大气温度足够高，以至于科学家们第一次探测到铁和镁等重金属正在慢慢流失。

As the planet vents hydrogen and helium into space, those heavy elements join them for the ride, as super-hot gases.

当行星将氢和氦喷入太空时，这些重元素以超高温气体的形式加入其中。

The planet's upper atmosphere is the hottest ever detected — hot enough to send heavy metal gases into space. (Photo: NASA, ESA, and J. Olmsted [STScI])

"The heavy metals are escaping partly because the planet is so big and puffy that its gravity is relatively weak. This is a planet being actively stripped of its atmosphere," David Sing of Johns Hopkins University noted in the NASA release.

“重金属正在逃逸，部分原因是地球太大太胖，重力相对较弱。这是一颗正在积极脱离大气层的行星。

They had better hurry, because scientists say the crushing gravity of its host star is likely to shred WASP-121b sooner rather than later.

它们最好快一点，因为科学家们说，它的主恒星的巨大引力可能会很快撕碎WASP-121b。

If it doesn't die of extreme weight loss first.

如果它没有先死于质量损失。

"The hydrogen and helium gas is outflowing, almost like a river, and is dragging these metals with them," Sing adds. "It's a very efficient mechanism for mass loss."

辛补充说:“氢气和氦气正在向外流动，几乎就像一条河，并将这些金属拖在一起。这是一种非常有效的质量损失机制。”

Did we mention WASP-121b is shaped like an American football? That would the star's heft again, constantly stretching and distorting it.

我们提到WASP-121b的形状像美式足球吗?这将会使恒星的重量再次增加，不断地拉伸和扭曲它。

And what does a planet with all that fire in its belly do in the face of looming destruction?

面对即将到来的毁灭，一个腹部充满火焰的星球会做些什么呢?

Then, for the little rebel that paid a steep price for a front-row ticket to its star, the music will finally be over.

然后，对于这个为明星前排门票付出高昂代价的小叛逆来说，音乐终于要结束了。