1993 Cosmic Times
This poster is the fifth edition of Cosmic Times, with the publication
date chosen to coincide with the discovery of anisotropies in the cosmic
microwave background (CMB). These "anisotropies" are tiny variations in
the remnant radiation from very early in the Universe, and are seeds of the
structure in the Universe we see today. This discovery bolstered Big
Bang theory by showing that the Universe we live in could have formed
during the time since the Big Bang. This edition of Cosmic Times also
presents the the latest discovery in the growing mystery of dark matter.
In addition, the Nobel Prize is awarded to a pair of scientists who
produced the first concrete proof of gravitational waves – waves in
spacetime predicted by Einstein's Theory of General Relativity.
Order your set of Cosmic Times posters through the Imagine the
Universe! Request Form
1993 Article Overview
Age of Universe: 12-20 Billion Years
Size of Universe: 30 Billion Light Years
| Article |
Thread |
Summary |
| Baby Universe's 1st Picture |
Expanding Universe |
Observations by NASA's COBE satellite reveal imperfections
(anisotropies) in the remnant radiation from shortly after the Big
Bang. These imperfections form the seed of structure that we see in
the Universe around us today. |
| Sidebar: Pancake or Oatmeal Universe – What's for Breakfast? |
Expanding Universe |
The observed imperfections in the cosmic microwave background,
while they form the seeds for structures that we see in the Universe
today were actually miniscule in size, representing changes from the
surroundings of just one part in 100,000. |
| Inflation in the Universe |
Expanding Universe |
The uniformity of the cosmic microwave background also posed
problems for cosmologists because the background was too
smooth. Theorists propose inflation as a possible solution to this
"smoothness" problem. |
| Fool-Proofing Galactic 'Candles' |
Supernovae |
One class of supernovae appears to be a standard candle that
astronomers can use to determine the distances to remote galaxies.
This article introduces that concept through a recent revision to
the distance scale. |
| Pulsar Gravitational Waves Win Nobel Prize |
-- |
A further confirmation of Einstein's General Theory of
Relativity is honored with a Nobel prize for a pair of scientists
who discover proof of the existence of gravitational waves. |
1993 Lesson Overview
| Activity |
Summary |
Grade |
Discipline |
| |
|
MS |
HS |
|
| 1. Raisin
Bread Universe |
Students examine the idea of inflation in the Universe using raisin
bread as a model for Universal expansion. |
x |
x |
Physics, Astronomy |
| 2. What's the Problem with Isotropy |
Students explore the cosmic microwave background to
understand why a completely smooth (isotropic) background poses
problems for the Universe we see today. |
|
x |
Physics, Astronomy |
| 3. Gravitational Waves |
Students explore the idea of gravitational waves and how
they were discovered by Nobel prize winners Hulse and
Taylor. |
|
x |
Physics, Astronomy |
| 4. Melting Ice |
Students explore a discrepent event when they design an
experiment to measure the rate that ice melts when in pure water
versus salt water. |
x |
x |
Physics, Astronomy |
| 5. Dark Matter NASA Conference |
Students explore the evidence for dark matter using the
measurements made by the ROSAT X-ray satellite for a small group
of galaxies. |
|
x |
Physics, Astronomy |
|
