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

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.
本月早些時候，這顆巨大恒星的表面持續4天沒有太陽黑子。這種情況自2011年就沒再出現過?，F在，它又發生了。

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

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Vencore公司的氣象學者保羅?多里安說，下一個太陽活動極小期預計開始于2019年或2020年。他預測未來幾年將會看到更多沒有太陽黑子的日子。

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.
上一次如此長時間不見太陽黑子，地球就迎來了科學家所說的“蒙德極小期”。那是在1645年。

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

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

The solar phenomenon could even prove dangerous for astronauts, says Paul Dorian.
保羅?多里安說，這種太陽現象甚至可能對宇航員構成危險。

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

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.
阻力變小會使太空垃圾積聚在軌道上，可能會與國際空間站或其他航天器相撞。

Vocabulary

aerodynamic drag: 空氣動力阻力

英文來源：鏡報
譯者：實習生徐曉彤
審校&編輯：丹妮