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朝着黑洞落下的气体会被加热到数十亿度的高温

causing the event horizon to appear as a silhouette

使得事件视界看上去就像是“剪影”

whose size and shape are predicted by Einstein’s theory.

爱因斯坦的理论能预测这个剪影的尺寸和形状

It is best to observe the silhouette in light with a wavelength of about one millimeter

观测剪影的最佳波长约为1 毫米

where the gas glows most brightly

气体在这个波段辐射最明亮

and light can travel unimpeded from the center of the galaxy to telescopes on earth.

而且毫米波也可以从银河系的中心直达地球的望远镜

Close to the black hole, the light waves appear circular like ripples in a pond

接近黑洞时光波看上去就像是池塘里的圆形涟漪

but by the time they reach earth they're essentially plain waves.

但当它们抵达地球时基本上已经是平面状的了

Imaging a black hole at this wavelength requires a telescope as big as our planet.

为这样的黑洞成像需要口径像地球一样大的望远镜

The EHT uses a global network of dishes to simulate a telescope of this size.

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