Cosmology and Cosmic Microwave Background Quiz

A faint, uniform glow of radiation in the microwave spectrum that fills the entire Universe.

The theory that the Universe began as an extremely hot and dense point that exploded and expanded.

A period of accelerated expansion of space shortly after the Big Bang.

The process of hydrogen atoms combining to form neutral hydrogen.

Shifting of light towards longer wavelengths, making it appear redder.

The elongation of wavelengths of photons emitted by astronomical objects due to their movement away from the observer.

A measure of the energy distribution of photons in an object, resembling a curve.

The average temperature of the CMB, measured to be 2.7 Kelvin.

A branch of astronomy that investigates extreme cosmic events by studying high-energy radiation (X-rays, gamma rays, cosmic rays).

High-energy electromagnetic radiation emitted by various sources in the Universe, helping us study extreme events.

Extremely dense remnants of massive stars, emitting X-rays due to their strong magnetic fields and rapid rotation.

A specific type of neutron star that emits regular pulses of X-rays as its magnetic poles sweep across our line of sight.

Expanding clouds of gas and dust left behind by supernova explosions, emitting X-rays as they interact with surrounding material.

Vast collections of galaxies held together by gravity, containing hot gas that emits X-rays through thermal bremsstrahlung.

Supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, accreting matter and emitting X-rays from the accretion disks and jets.

Systems containing a normal star and a compact object (like a neutron star or black hole) orbiting each other, generating X-rays as matter falls onto the compact object.

A technique that combines signals from multiple telescopes to create a single image, providing much higher resolution than a single telescope.

A hypothetical type of matter that does not interact with light, making it invisible to telescopes. It exerts gravitational influence but does not emit or absorb light.

Ordinary matter made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons. This type of matter interacts with light and can be observed directly.

A specific type of particle that interacts very weakly with ordinary matter, predicted by theories like particle physics.

The fraction of the total density needed for the Universe to be flat, according to cosmological models.

An abundance of deuterium (heavy hydrogen) in the early Universe is used as a tool to estimate the amount of ordinary matter present.

A satellite designed to study the cosmic microwave background radiation and measure the composition of the early Universe.

The composition of the Universe includes a small percentage of luminous matter (like stars), a larger percentage of free hydrogen and helium, and a significant fraction of dark matter.

The CMB is a faint afterglow of the Big Bang. It's like the heat signature from a giant explosion but much cooler, at a temperature of 2.74 K. This radiation fills the entire universe.

The COBE mission measured the spectrum of the CMB and confirmed it was a perfect blackbody radiation. This means the radiation's intensity varies with wavelength in a predictable way. It also revealed very small deviations from isotropy, meaning the radiation's intensity isn't perfectly uniform in all directions.

The WMAP mission improved upon COBE's measurements by providing higher spatial resolution. This means we could see more detailed maps of the CMB variations and study them with better accuracy.

The Planck mission was a major step forward in observing the CMB. It achieved even finer spatial resolution than WMAP, allowing scientists to create the most accurate map of the CMB to date. This detailed map provides valuable information about the earliest moments of the universe.

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime. They are caused by massive objects accelerating in space, such as black holes spiraling around each other. These waves travel at the speed of light and carry information about their origins.

Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves in his theory of general relativity, but they were only directly detected in 2015.

Gravitational waves are incredibly weak, making them difficult to detect. This is why it took decades after their prediction to directly observe them.

The strongest gravitational waves are produced by extreme events like merging black holes and supernovae. However, other sources are predicted like rotating neutron stars and perhaps even the remnants of the Big Bang.

A normal star in an X-ray binary system loses material to the compact object due to its strong gravitational pull.

The material falling onto the compact object in X-ray binaries creates shocks, heating it to incredibly high temperatures, producing X-rays.

X-ray binaries are classified into two main types based on the mass of the companion star.

Short bursts of high-energy gamma-ray radiation detected from space.

Gamma-ray bursts are categorized as long-duration or short-duration based on their duration.

Long-duration GRBs are associated with the explosive death of massive stars.

Short-duration GRBs are thought to originate from the merger of compact objects like neutron stars.

Multi-messenger astronomy is a field that combines observations from different types of electromagnetic radiation, gravitational waves, neutrinos, and cosmic rays to study celestial objects.

Rapid response optical telescopes can quickly identify a bright source within hours of a gamma ray burst detection.

The Gaia mission aimed to create a three-dimensional map of our galaxy by measuring the distance and motion of billions of stars.

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a space telescope designed to investigate the early universe and the formation of galaxies, stars, and planets.

WASP 39-b is a hot gas giant exoplanet that shows evidence of a carbon monoxide (CO) atmosphere, suggesting the possibility of a liquid water ocean.

The transiting technique involves observing the dimming of a star's light as an exoplanet passes in front of it.

The Nobel Prize has been awarded to scientists for groundbreaking discoveries related to space exploration, including the cosmic microwave background, pulsars, and exoplanets.

The exploration of space has led to significant advancements in technology and scientific knowledge, contributing to numerous discoveries and innovations.