Which mission first measured the cosmic microwave background in detail?
Quick Answer
NASA’s COBE satellite made the first highly detailed all-sky measurements of the cosmic microwave background. Its 1992 results confirmed tiny temperature fluctuations in the early universe.
The Full Story
The Cosmic Background Explorer, or COBE, was launched by NASA in 1989 and produced the first highly detailed measurements of the cosmic microwave background. In 1992, its results revealed tiny temperature fluctuations that matched predictions about the early universe. Those findings were a major milestone in cosmology and were later followed by the even more precise WMAP and Planck missions. COBE’s work helped strengthen the Big Bang model.
Key Facts
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"The satellite that gave us a baby picture of the universe."
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