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Animations
- Amount of Matter in a Flat Universe
- The amount of matter is determined by measuring the overall height and pattern of the temperature fluctuations.
- Composition of the Universe
- Atomic matter, the matter we are familiar with, makes up less than 5% of the total density of the universe.
- Geometry of the Universe
- According to general relativity, the curvature of space determines how light travels.
- Hubble's Law
- By charting velocities of galaxies with his own observations of their distances from the Milky Way, he found the galaxies were receding from us.
- Microwave Wavelength
- The cosmic microwave background is leftover heat from the Big Bang. Microwave wavelengths are relatively long compared to optical wavelengths.
- Redshift
- When the spectral lines shift towards the red end of the spectrum, we infer that the wavelength has stretched. This is called a "redshift."
Photographs
- Casimir Force Experiment
- Precise laboratory experiments like the one shown here measure the energy of empty space.
- High-Redshift Supernovae
- High-redshift supernovae, together with their host galaxies.
- Hubble Panorama
- Hubble Space Telescope panoramic view of thousands of galaxies in various stages of evolution.
- Hubble Space Telescope
- One of NASA's most productive scientific satellites.
- Hubble, Edwin
- Edwin Hubble seated at the 100-inch Hooker telescope at Mt. Wilson Observatory.
- Large Magellanic Cloud
- The Large Magellanic Cloud is one of the first galaxies outside our own to be studied.
- Leavitt, Henrietta Swan
- The work of Henrietta Swan Leavitt on variable stars led to a revolution in understanding the scale of the universe.
- Milky Way Galaxy
- Edge-on view of the Milky Way.
- Pan-STARRS Telescope
- This PanSTARRS telescope will find thousands of supernovae in the next decade.
- Supernova Type 1a Next to Galaxy
- Type Ia supernovae, like the one shown here in the outskirts of galaxy NGC 4526, have been used to trace the influence of dark energy on the expansion of the universe.
- X-ray Images of Galaxy Clusters
- X-ray images of galaxy clusters observed with the Chandra X-ray Observatory.
Graphics
- Abundance of Light Elements
- The abundance of light elements indicates that most of the universe is not protons, neutrons, or electrons.
- Combined Evidence for Dark Energy
- Combining evidence from supernova and the CMB makes a strong case for dark energy.
- Components of the Universe
- The composition of the universe, with 96 percent invisible and unfamiliar.
- Cosmic Microwave Background
- Dark energy is now the dominant factor pushing the universe to expand.
- Density and Geometry
- The geometry of the universe depends on its density.
- Einstein's Gravitational Warp
- In Einstein's theory of general relativity, mass warps the fabric of space.
- Hubble Diagram
- Hubble diagram, plotting velocity vs. distance for galaxies outside our own.
- Joint Dark Energy Mission
- The Joint Dark Energy Mission will make precise measurements of the effects of dark energy from space.
- Light Curves
- Light curve shape standardization.
- Models of the Universe
- The future scale of the universe depends on the nature of dark energy.
- Modern Hubble Diagram
- Adding high-redshift supernovae to the Hubble diagram revealed the effects of dark energy.
- Spacetime in General Relativity
- In Einstein's theory of gravity, space is warped but featureless.
- Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect
- The Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect allows astronomers to find the signature of galaxy clusters in the CMB.
- Timeline of the Universe
- Dark energy is now the dominant factor pushing the universe to expand.
- Type Ia Supernova Spectrum
- The spectrum of a Type Ia supernova, shown here, distinguishes it from other supernova types.
