How do scientists create a map of the sky using cosmic background radiation?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around how scientists utilize cosmic background radiation to create a map of the sky, including the implications for understanding the size, shape, and age of the universe. The scope includes theoretical and conceptual aspects of astrophysics.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • One participant mentions that scientists can 'read' cosmic background radiation to gain insights into the universe's characteristics.
  • Another participant suggests that the red shift method is used to determine distances and ages of celestial objects, noting that observing distant quasars allows us to look back in time.
  • There is a mention of the role of wavelengths emitted by stars in understanding distances, although specifics on how this relates to cosmic background radiation are not detailed.
  • A request for a link to the article is made, indicating an interest in further research on the topic.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express varying levels of knowledge and interest, but there is no consensus on the specifics of how cosmic background radiation is utilized in mapping the universe.

Contextual Notes

Some assumptions about the methods and implications of cosmic background radiation are not fully explored, and the discussion lacks detailed technical explanations regarding the processes involved.

Nibles
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I was reading some article about some scientists who were able to 'read' some sort of cosmic background radiation and determine the size, shape, and age of the universe or whatever. How do they take these radiation readings and create an 'image' or understanding of the universe?
 
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Well, from my knowledge, they use the red shift method. Or you can also remember that the farthest things we can see out there happen to be X many light years away, and say...a quasar that is 15 billion light years away...we are looking 15 billion years into the past...that is one of our standard...most basic ways of figuring the age out. As to the radiation readings...it could be the wavelengths that help them understand the distance between stars and such. Each star sends out a certaint amount of radiation waves. If you could give me a link to the article, it would be quite nice to read it and maybe even do a little more research on radiation as a tool for mapping the universe.
-Bob Smith
 
I read it in a magazine.
 

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