The microwave sky

WMAP has produced a new, more detailed picture of the infant universe. Colours indicate "warmer" (red) and "cooler" (blue) spots. The white bars show the "polarization" direction of the oldest light. This new information helps to pinpoint when the first stars formed and provides new clues about events that transpired in the first trillionth of a second of the universe (image and text: NASA/WMAP Science Team).

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