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Planck satellite: Esa to release maps of ancient light Planck satellite: Maps detail Universe's ancient light
(about 7 hours later)
New maps of the "oldest light" in the Universe will be released shortly by the European Space Agency (Esa). A spectacular new map of the "oldest light" in the sky has just been released by the European Space Agency.
The images were assembled from data acquired by the organisation's 600m-euro (£515m) Planck satellite. Scientists say its mottled pattern is an exquisite confirmation of our Big-Bang model for the origin and evolution of the Universe.
The light carries key information about what happened shortly after the Big Bang, and can be used to work out the age of the cosmos - 13.7 billion years being the current estimate. But there are features in the picture, they add, that are unexpected and will require ideas to be refined.
The Esa space telescope's maps will be the most detailed yet. The map was assembled from 15 months' worth of data acquired by the 600m-euro (£515m) Planck space telescope.
A news conference has been called at the agency's headquarters in Paris. It details what is known as the cosmic microwave background, or CMB - a faint glow of microwave radiation that pervades all of space.
Scientists expect the images to lead to refinements in their ideas for how the Universe came into being. But they will be hoping also for some surprises that can take their studies in new directions and possibly even towards some new physics. Its precise configuration, visible in the new Planck data, is suggestive of a cosmos that is slightly older than previously thought - one that came into existence 13.82 billion years ago.
Cold signal This is an increase of about 50 million years on earlier calculations.
Planck is the third western satellite to study the so-called Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). The two previous efforts - COBE and WMAP - were led by the US space agency (Nasa). The Soviets also had an experiment in space in the 1980s that they called Relikt-1. The map's pattern also indicates a subtle adjustment is needed to the Universe's inventory of contents.
It seems there is slightly more matter out there (31.7%) and slightly less "dark energy" (68.3%), the mysterious component thought to be driving the cosmos apart at an accelerating rate.
Planck is the third western satellite to study the so-called Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB).
The two previous efforts - COBE and WMAP - were led by the US space agency (Nasa). The Soviets also had an experiment in space in the 1980s that they called Relikt-1.
The CMB is the light that was finally allowed to spread out across space once the Universe had cooled sufficiently to permit the formation of hydrogen atoms.The CMB is the light that was finally allowed to spread out across space once the Universe had cooled sufficiently to permit the formation of hydrogen atoms.
Before that time, about 375,000 years into the life of the cosmos, conditions would have been so hot that all the light would have been bounced around and trapped in a fog of ionised matter. The Universe would have been opaque.Before that time, about 375,000 years into the life of the cosmos, conditions would have been so hot that all the light would have been bounced around and trapped in a fog of ionised matter. The Universe would have been opaque.
The "fossil" light is still evident today. It bathes the Earth in a near-uniform glow which, thanks to the expansion of the Universe, can now be found at microwave frequencies.The "fossil" light is still evident today. It bathes the Earth in a near-uniform glow which, thanks to the expansion of the Universe, can now be found at microwave frequencies.
Its temperature profile is just 2.7 degrees above absolute zero, but it is possible to detect minute deviations from this signal. Its average temperature profile is just 2.7 degrees above absolute zero, but it is possible to detect minute deviations from this signal.
These fluctuations reflect the differences in the density of matter when the light parted company and set out on its journey. The subtle lumpiness, driven by gravity, would have seeded the later development of stars and galaxies.These fluctuations reflect the differences in the density of matter when the light parted company and set out on its journey. The subtle lumpiness, driven by gravity, would have seeded the later development of stars and galaxies.
Greater capabilityGreater capability
COBE and WMAP extracted astonishing insights from the radiation. In addition to an age for the Universe, CMB studies have thrown up a refined estimate for the contents of the cosmos (4.6% atomic matter; 24% dark matter; and 71.4% dark energy) and an assessment of its geometry.COBE and WMAP extracted astonishing insights from the radiation. In addition to an age for the Universe, CMB studies have thrown up a refined estimate for the contents of the cosmos (4.6% atomic matter; 24% dark matter; and 71.4% dark energy) and an assessment of its geometry.
Scientists describe the Universe as being "flat", meaning space adheres to Euclidean rules, where straight lines can be extended to infinity and the angles of a triangle will add up to 180 degrees, etc.Scientists describe the Universe as being "flat", meaning space adheres to Euclidean rules, where straight lines can be extended to infinity and the angles of a triangle will add up to 180 degrees, etc.
Planck has much higher sensitivity and resolution than either COBE or WMAP.Planck has much higher sensitivity and resolution than either COBE or WMAP.
Cosmologists hope this improved capability will allow it to probe the light for evidence of "inflation", the faster than light expansion of the Universe that is postulated to have occurred in the first fractions of a second after the Big Bang.Cosmologists hope this improved capability will allow it to probe the light for evidence of "inflation", the faster than light expansion of the Universe that is postulated to have occurred in the first fractions of a second after the Big Bang.
Inflation has been a popular add-on to Big Bang theory since the 1980s.Inflation has been a popular add-on to Big Bang theory since the 1980s.
Jonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmosJonathan.Amos-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk and follow me on Twitter: @BBCAmos