The accidental discovery
The universe's first light
Mapping the baby universe
Deciphering the cosmic recipe
YOUR GOAL
Master of The cosmic microwave background
artiteacher Mapping the baby universe
Static on the screen, / first light ever seen, / baby universe gleam!
artiteacher The tiny ripples in the cosmic microwave background eventually grew into the stars, galaxies, and planets we see today.
artiteacher Three generations of space satellites have mapped the cosmic microwave background with increasing and breathtaking detail.
artiteacher Trace the cosmic baby glow to discover how the universe looked right after creation.
Space map trophy: The lead scientists of the COBE satellite won the 2006 Nobel Prize for taking the first "baby picture" of our universe.
Which space agency launched the Planck satellite in 2009 to map the cosmic microwave background?
What are the tiny temperature variations in the cosmic microwave background called?
What shape is the map of the cosmic microwave background usually projected as in scientific diagrams?
What do the denser, cooler regions in the cosmic microwave background maps represent?
Which NASA satellite launched in 2001 succeeded COBE to map the cosmic microwave background in much higher detail?
What is the mysterious, unusually chilly region found in cosmic microwave background maps called?
How precise are the temperature fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background?
Which space satellite first mapped the tiny temperature fluctuations in the cosmic microwave background in 1989?