First map produced of universe 11 billion years ago

Yahoo! News ^ | 11/14/12 | Chris Wickham | Reuters

[NormsRevenge]

LONDON (Reuters) - An international team of astronomers has produced the first map of the universe as it was 11 billion years ago, filling a gap between the Big Bang and the rapid expansion that followed.

The study, published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics, shows the universe went through a phase roughly three billion years after the Big Bang when expansion actually started to slow, before the force of so-called 'dark energy' kicked in and sent galaxies accelerating away from each other.

Much is known about the immediate aftermath of the Big Bang from studies of its afterglow in the cosmic background radiation, and its accelerating expansion over several billion years can be seen with a look at the way distant galaxies are moving.

"Only now are we finally seeing its adolescence... just before it underwent a growth spurt," said Mat Pieri at the University of Portsmouth in Britain, one of the authors of the study.

Little is known about dark energy, and its counterpart dark matter, but astronomers argue the force must exist to account for the speed at which the universe is expanding. Together, dark energy and dark matter are believed to make up about 96 percent of the universe.

The new study supports the theory that dark energy was somehow created as the universe expanded, by detailing a period when gravity was winning the tussle and slowing the expansion.

[Steve Van Doorn]

These diagrams of what the Universe looks like always makes me laugh. In this case what is on the other side of the box?

[jwalsh07]

The singularity was something that occupied no space, could not tell time, was full of energy before energy and quanta existed and had no proximate or approximate cause. Only thing I know of with these unique characteristics is grapefruit. :>}

[MtnClimber]

There has to be some spin in there that causes all my Nascar drivers to wreck. All from 11 billion years ago. Even tubebender (who torments me) is not that old, I think.

[Long Jon No Silver]

Do you think just maybe that 3d map looks like an ant farm. I had a clear perspex one as a kid. Now those ants went about their little lives totally oblivious that there was intelligence outside their little box. Intelligence as far removed from us, as we are from ants. Ants probably think ‘ants rule!!’ .

[jagusafr]

Yeah, it expands every time they have to account for more billions for their “anything but God” religion to work.

[Sivad]

Anybody recognize their ex mother mother in-law in
the photo?

[SunkenCiv]

That’s why the edges have yellowed so much.

[SunkenCiv]

An ‘extra, extra’ to APoD members. Thanks GeronL for the ping, thanks NormsRevenge for posting it.

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks GeronL for the ping, thanks NormsRevenge for posting it.

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