The lack of candidates and telescopic power had frustrated astronomers for years, until the discovery in 2003 of a particular pair of pulsars.

多年来，天文学家们受制于缺少合适的目标，以及望远镜力有不棣，直到2003年发现了一对特殊的脉冲星。

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Less than 20 years after first finding a planet beyond our solar system, astronomers are poised to hit a big milestone - the discovery of alien world no. 500.

首次发现太阳系以外的行星后不到20年，天文学家们正准备打造一个重要的里程碑——第500个外星世界的发现。

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Last month, astronomers announced the discovery of the most Earth-like planet ever found - a rocky world three times the size of our own world, orbiting a star 20 light years away.

上月，天文学家宣称已发现最类似地球卫星——其大小为地球的三倍，表面为岩石覆盖，距离其环绕的恒星20光年。

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It is precisely this sort of work that led to the discovery of asteroid 2012 DA14 last February by a team of Spanish astronomers.

CNN: Meteor shows why it is crucial to keep an eye on the sky

The discovery of a dozen of these extra-solar planets in the past three years in no way diminishes astronomers' delight in each new discovery.

CNN: Astronomers spy new neighbors outside solar system

Although the discovery was published only this week, many astronomers have heard the result and now consider that the life story of the pulsars has been clearly established.

ECONOMIST: The dizziest, giddiest stars