Mapping the Cosmic Microwave Background

The Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is the faint afterglow of the Big Bang.
It was first accidentally discovered in 1965 by Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson.
The CMB is the oldest light in the universe, dating back 13.8 billion years.
Tiny temperature variations in the CMB map the seeds of galaxies.
NASA’s COBE satellite (1992) provided the first detailed map of the CMB.
The WMAP mission (2001–2010) refined measurements of the universe’s age and composition.
The Planck satellite (2009–2013) created the most precise CMB map to date.
CMB studies show the universe is about 5% normal matter, 27% dark matter, and 68% dark energy.
Mapping the CMB confirmed the theory of cosmic inflation shortly after the Big Bang.
The CMB acts as a “baby picture” of the universe, showing its earliest structure.