The Atacama Cosmology Telescope, a strange-looking telescope stationed in northern Chile, has released its final data set after 15 years of surveying the skies. The dataset contains detailed maps of the infant universe, showcasing the roiling clouds of hydrogen and helium gas that eventually formed the stars and galaxies we see today.
Researchers have analyzed the data, which reveals the density of the gas clouds and their movement patterns. The findings provide a new level of detail on how the universe’s gases behaved 13.8 billion years ago. According to Jo Dunkley, a cosmologist at Princeton University, the fine-scale features of the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation are particularly revealing.
The data was used to test the standard cosmological theory, known as lambda cold dark matter, which describes the universe at that time. The results show an exceptionally good fit, suggesting that the current understanding of the early universe is remarkably accurate.
Cosmologists Seshadri Nadathur and his team are eagerly awaiting the release of new data from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument. Meanwhile, the Simons Observatory, located on the same site as the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, has taken its first image and will begin an even more detailed examination of the CMB in the coming months.
The Atacama Cosmology Telescope’s release marks a significant milestone in the study of the universe’s early stages. As researchers continue to analyze the data, they may uncover new insights into the mysterious forces that shaped the cosmos.
Source: https://www.science.org/content/article/sharpest-image-yet-our-universe-baby