中英雙語話中國歷史名人 第75期:落下閎

An astronomer of the Western Han Dynasty, Luo Xiahong is famous for his outstanding achievements in calendar computation and astronomy, and is seen as the earliest scholar in calendar computation.

落下閎，西漢天文學家，以在曆法和天文方面的傑出成就聞名，被視爲最早的歷法學者。

For the purpose of calendar reform, Emperor Wudi of the Western Han Dynasty employed astronomers throughout the country.

爲了改革曆法，漢武帝僱用了全國的天文學家。

In the end, Luo worked out with others--The Tai Chu Calendar--which was adopted by the emperor, due to its superiority over other calendars.

最後漢武帝認爲落下閎的歷法《太初曆》優於其它曆法，於是予以採用。

As the first calendar that can be verified in historical records, The Tai Chu Calendar was used for 189 years.

作爲有史可查的第一部曆法，《太初曆》使用了189年。

Luo Xiahong was the initiator of the theory of sphere-heavens, and the equatorial armillary sphere he improved was in use for 2 000 years.

落下閎是渾天說的創始人之一，經他改進的赤道式渾天儀，在中國用了2000年。

For the first time in astronomic history, Luo correctly inferred the cycle term of 135 months for solar and lunar eclipses, meaning that there were 23 solar eclipses within 11 years.

在天文學史上首次準確推算出135月的日、月食週期，即11年應發生23次日食。

Based on this cycle, people could conduct forecasts on solar and lunar eclipses.

根據這個週期，人類可以對日、月食進行預報。

On September 16, 2004, with the approval from the International Astronomical Union, an asteroid was named after Luo Xiahong in commemoration of the great Chinese astronomer.

2004年9月16日，經國際天文學聯合會小天體提名委員會批准，一顆小行星被命名爲“落下閎小行星”，以此紀念這位偉大的天文學家。