The Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) has produced the clearest images of the early universe, capturing the cosmic microwave background (CMB) from 2007 to 2022. The data reveals a staggering mass equivalent to almost two trillion trillion suns in the observable universe. These images show variations in temperature and polarization, enhancing our understanding of the big bang’s aftermath. Researchers will present their findings at the American Physical Society meeting, marking a significant advancement in cosmological research and bringing the universe's history vividly to life, according to Princeton astrophysicist Jo Dunkley.
The images, released today, are among the final results from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT), which mapped the big bang's afterglow from 2007 to 2022.
Equivalent to almost two trillion trillion suns, that's the amount of mass (or its counterpart as energy) that these images show to exist in the entire observable universe.
What I love about these new images is how they bring the whole history of the universe to life, says Jo Dunkley, a Princeton University.
For instance, one measure associated with the pictures belownew high-definition snapshots of the cosmos in its infancyis 1,900 zetta-suns.
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