The Cosmic Microwave Background

The cosmic microwave background can help scientists piece together the history of the universe.

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Cosmic Background Explorer spacecraft

• In 1993, the first images of this radiation were produced by the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) spacecraft.
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• The COBE image shows the minute variations in temperature (pink = warmer / blue = cooler) that were predicted by the Big Bang theorists.

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Modern Planck Radiation Satellite

• the satellite is the most sensitive telescope ever designed to study the cosmic microwave background.
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• the remnants of radiation from the Big Bang 13.8 billion years ago – Planck’s detectors by microwave radiation to measure the temperature of this light, searching for regions that are slightly warmer or colder than the average.
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BSL Version
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• explaining about the first images.

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BSL Version

• explaining about the Planck satellite.

• Planck collected data for the all-sky map from August 2009 to June 2010.
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• This all-sky image of the cosmic microwave background, created from data collected by the European Space Agency’s Planck satellite’s first all-sky survey, shows echoes of the Big Bang left over from the dawn of the universe.
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Comparison of Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) results from COBE, WMAP and Planck.
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More information about spacecraft
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• COBE – Cosmic Background Explorer (CMB) / Spacecraft Explorer 66 – Wikipedia
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• WMAP – Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe / Spacecraft Explorer 80- Wikipedia / Website: NASA WMAP
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• Planck – COBRAS / SAMBA Space telescope – Wikipedia / Website: ESA Planck

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BSL Version

• explaining about the Planck collected date.
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• Spacecraft
  (COBE / WMAP / Planck)