Infinite Life: Trapped in a lifetime

36-meter ultra-large optical telescope project,

At the request of astronomers such as Professor Yu and other participants,

Mo Dao gave this very large optical telescope a name - 'Long Night'.

Mo Dao gave this name with a certain special meaning to this very large optical telescope in this life.

Professor Yu and others also like this name.

Whether it’s looking up at the stars on the ground, or pondering and exploring almost philosophical issues like the origin of the universe,

All in the long night.

…

However, this ultra-large-diameter optical astronomical telescope project

Although it has attracted the participation of astronomers throughout China and even the attention of astronomy-related researchers in a wider range,

But it didn't have much impact on Mo Dao's trajectory in this life.

In this life, it is pure relaxation, or in other words, under the accumulation of many emotions, I don't want to do anything.

He withdrew some money from the ATM machine of the world,

Invested in the construction of this ultra-large-aperture optical telescope project,

But he did not participate too much in the design and construction of this optical astronomical telescope.

Just occasionally, make some suggestions in some places.

Astronomers across China are very concerned about the construction of this optical astronomical telescope.

He also has quite positive enthusiasm, and there is no need for Mo Dao to spend too much time worrying about these things.

It is almost inevitable for an astronomer to desire a larger and more advanced astronomical telescope.

During this time,

Mo Dao's life was not much different from before.

In addition to going out for a walk with Qin Huaishi in his free time.

Still, relying on the previous astronomical telescope, which was not too small in diameter,

Search and observe stars that are closer or farther away,

Do some calculations and research on some planetary systems of interest.

In the vast universe, there are so many exostars that it is impossible to see them all in a lifetime.

time,

It just goes by.

…

38 years,

The 36-meter aperture optical telescope began to enter the formal construction stage from the design stage.

At that time, many media also reported on this matter to a certain extent.

However, this matter itself has no connection with the lives of most people.

After a period of discussion, only in the circle of astronomy enthusiasts, people still mentioned it from time to time.

Then, it will be 39 years, 40 years...

Due to the difficulty of manufacturing optical telescope lenses, it is also difficult to build such a large-aperture optical telescope itself.

The construction of this optical astronomical telescope,

Although a large number of astronomers and technicians were involved, it still took a long time.

In the end, it took a total of 12 years to complete the construction of this astronomical telescope.

but,

Professor Yu, who was already old and in his eighties, still saw the completion of this large-diameter, long-night astronomical telescope.

And he passed away only three months after the Long Night Telescope was completed.

Before passing away,

Professor Yu was quite free and easy. When Mo Dao came to visit him, he took the initiative to mention the Long Night Astronomical Telescope and was very happy.

"I am satisfied and have no regrets in my life. The Long Night Astronomical Telescope has also been built, and I also participated in its construction..."

"Mo Dao, thank you."

When facing Professor Yu with a smile on his face, Mo Dao felt a little dazed.

…

50 years.

When the Long Night Astronomical Telescope was put into use for the first time after its completion, Mo Dao was naturally present.

The technicians operating the Long Night Astronomical Telescope asked Mo Dao about the direction and target of the Long Night Astronomical Telescope when it was first used.

"Look at Proxima Centauri."

Mo Dao gave a target that was quite close on an astronomical scale.

Under the operation of technicians, the Long Night Astronomical Telescope slowly adjusted its target.

Finally headed towards the direction of Proxima Centauri.

Through this 36-meter large-diameter astronomical telescope,

On an astronomical scale, such a close target can be seen quite clearly.

On the image presented,

It can be clearly seen that compared to other similar planetary systems, there is really nothing special about the Proxima Centauri galaxy.

"This is our 'neighbor'. But looking close, we may not be able to actually visit this place in our lives."

An astronomer next to him felt a little emotional when looking at the image.

Mo Dao did not move his eyes away from the image of Proxima Centauri, nor did he say anything more to this sentence.

"Look as far away as possible."

…

After the Long Night Telescope was built,

Just as domestic astronomers expected,

Most of the time, the Long Night Telescope is available for rent.

Most of the time, the Long Night Telescope is collecting data on the universe 20 billion light-years away.

For astronomers to study the appearance of the earlier universe.

In only a small amount of time, Mo Dao would use it for his own use and occasionally do some cosmological research.

But we don’t pursue certain results.

On the official website of the Long Night Astronomical Telescope Project,

There is a sentence like this,

"The universe is a huge natural experimental field. We can see all the physical properties in the center and edge of the universe that we cannot experimentally verify today."

…

54 years.

Mo Dao is sixty years old.

Although there is nothing necessarily done,

But previous academic monographs and occasional academic papers,

There is also the existence of the Long Night Astronomical Telescope,

Mo Dao slowly became a great figure in the field of astronomy in this life.

And here in the quiet passage of time,

Mo Dao has gradually entered his old age in this life.

However, Mo Dao's life did not change much.

This day.

Mo Dao sat idle in the office until Miss Qin Huaishi finished her work in the laboratory.

Then, the two of them walked slowly back to their residence along the road.

Along the way, we chatted casually,

The other party is right next to him, and he is not in a hurry to go home.

Over the long years, there seems to be no difference between the two of them.

When they were twenty years old, the two of them were walking side by side like this, talking to each other,

At this moment, sixty years old, it is still like this.

Time has made their bodies a little stooped, but other than that, nothing seems to have changed.

Like a trickling stream, it never has its ups and downs, but it seems like it can continue like this.

The two of them spent time together like this, killing time without getting bored or having any regrets.

It’s early summer,

The two went to the supermarket and bought a watermelon and some vegetables.

After returning to my residence,

Mo Dao was cooking, and Miss Qin Huaishi was beside him, helping.

In the long years,

Although he has never deliberately exercised, Mo Dao's cooking skills are actually quite good.

Cut the vegetables and cooked.

After the two had dinner,

I packed the remaining dishes and chopsticks into the kitchen, and we were lazy together, not in a hurry to wash them.

Qin Huaishi smiled at Mo Dao, and Mo Dao also smiled at Miss Qin Huaishi.

I took out the watermelon from the refrigerator and took a few bites each.

In this life,

Mo Dao and Qin Huaishi, who have been together for decades,

He sat down on the sofa in the living room.

Nothing was done, nothing was said,

Let the cool wind after nightfall blow into the house as the sun sets,

Watching the lights in the city come on at night, they leaned on each other.

I was in a daze, as if I could stay like this for a long time with my mind calm.