2006 Cosmic Times
This poster is the sixth edition of Cosmic Times, with the publication
date chosen to encompass the discovery of dark energy, which is a
puzzling new component of our Universe which had been undetected until
1997. Since that first discovery, astronomers have confirmed its
presence and its overwhelming abundance in our Universe. This edition
discusses some of the most recent pieces of evidence for dark energy and
NASA's future plans for pinning down its elusive nature. In so doing,
we return to the cosmic microwave background (CMB), and show more
detailed map of the early Universe as observed by the Wilkinson
Microwave Anisotroy Probe (WMAP). In addition, the Nobel Prize is
awarded to the pair of scientists responsible for the two main science
results of COBE, which we introduced in the 1993 Cosmic Times.
Order your set of Cosmic Times posters through the Imagine the
Universe! Request Form
2006 Article Overview
Age of Universe: 13.7 Billion Years
Size of Universe: 94 Billion Light Years
| Article |
Thread |
Summary |
| Faster Walk on the Dark Side |
Expanding Universe |
Recent observations have confirmed the 1997 discovery that the
Universe is expanding at an increasing rate. These new observations
also show the relative abundances of dark energy, dark matter, and
ordinary matter. |
| Seeds of Modern Universe |
Expanding Universe |
Another satellite charged with studying the Cosmic Microwave
Background has returned a detailed baby picture of the Universe,
with the seeds of moder structures finally coming through. |
| Biggest Mystery: What is Dark Energy? |
Expanding Universe |
The nature of dark energy is still a puzzle, with several
theories in current contention, including the cosmological constant
and quintessence. |
| Sidebar: Sorting Out the Dark Stuff |
-- |
A brief description to clarify the difference between "dark
energy" and "dark matter" – two very different unseen
components of the Universe. |
| 'First Light' Wins Nobel |
-- |
The scientists responsible for the first detailed spectrum and
map of the cosmic microwave background are honored with the Nobel
prize for physics. |
| Journey to Cosmos' Dark Heart |
-- |
NASA plans to study the nature of dark energy in more detail by
collecting data for ever-more-distant supernovae. Three satellite
missions are currently in contention. |
2006 Lesson Overview
| Activity |
Summary |
Grade |
Discipline |
| |
|
MS |
HS |
|
| 1. Measuring Dark Energy |
Students simulate an experiment in which the discovery of
dark energy can be made by plotting modern supernova distances
on a Hubble Diagram. |
|
x |
Physics, Astronomy |
| 2. Tools of the Trade |
Students explore the telescopes and technologies that will
shape our understanding of the Universe in the coming
years. |
|
x |
Physics, Astronomy |
| 3. Cosmic Times 2019 |
Students predict the next discoveries that will shape our
understanding of the nature of the expanding Universe as they
write the 100th anniversary edition of Cosmic
Times. |
x |
x |
Physics, Astronomy, Multi-disciplinary |
| 4. Things Are Not What They Seem |
Students explore a discrepent event by designing experiments
to test what makes a a "come back can" return or UV beads change
color. |
x |
x |
Physics, Astronomy |
| 5. Century Timeline |
Students create a timeline of world events from 1905 through
2006, the years encompassed by the Cosmic Times posters, to get
a sense of the history surrounding the discoveries over the past
century. |
x |
x |
Multi-disciplinary |
|
