天文學家發現罕見的四星系統
Astronomers Discover Rare Quadruple Star System
2025年8月，天文學家有了開創性的發現：一個名為 UPM J1040−3551 AabBab 的罕見四星系統。
In August 2025, astronomers made a groundbreaking discovery: a rare quadruple star system called UPM J1040−3551 AabBab.
該系統位於距離地球82光年的唧筒座，其構造十分奇特。
Located 82 light-years away in the constellation Antlia, this system features an unusual configuration.
它由兩對相互繞行的恆星組成：一對M型紅矮星與一對低溫的T型褐矮星。
It consists of two pairs of stars orbiting one another: two M-type red dwarf stars and two cold T-type brown dwarfs.
由於褐矮星常被稱為「失敗的恆星」，且因其隨時間變暗而極難研究，該系統便成為了一座完美的宇宙實驗室。
Because brown dwarfs, often called "failed stars," are notoriously difficult to study due to their dimming over time, this system acts as a perfect cosmic laboratory.
紅矮星雙星亮度顯著，而T型褐矮星則幾乎不發出可見光，必須依靠紅外線技術偵測。
The red dwarf pair is significantly brighter, while the T-type brown dwarfs emit almost no visible light, requiring detection through infrared technology.
來自蓋亞衛星與NASA廣域紅外線巡天探測衛星的數據促成了此次鑑定，隨後由位於智利的南方天體物理研究望遠鏡證實。
Data from the Gaia satellite and NASA’s WISE mission led to this identification, which was later confirmed by the SOAR telescope in Chile.
這項發現發表於《皇家天文學會月報》，為理解宇宙中恆星體的演化提供了獨特的機會。
Published in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, this discovery offers a unique opportunity to understand the evolution of stellar bodies across our universe.
