He was on the threshold of an important discovery. 他即將有一個(gè)重要的發(fā)現。
On making his discovery, the astronomer had presented it to the International Astronomical Congress, in a great demonstration. 當時(shí)他曾經(jīng)在一次國際天文學(xué)家代表大會(huì )上對他的發(fā)現作了重要的論證。