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Chapter 26: Problem 20

Can you see the cosmic background radiation with the naked eye? With a visible-light telescope? Explain why or why not.

Short Answer

Expert verified
No, it is not possible to see the Cosmic Background Radiation with the naked eye or with a visible-light telescope. This is because CBR is in the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum, outside the visible spectrum range that can be detected by the naked eye or visible-light telescopes.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding Cosmic Background Radiation (CBR)

Cosmic Background Radiation is the microwave radiation that is pretty evenly distributed across the universe. It is a remnant from the early universe, from the time just after the Big Bang. It was discovered in 1965 and is considered strong evidence for the Big Bang theory. The radiation is in the microwave region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which is not visible to the naked eye or visible-light telescopes.
02

Visual Perception of CBR

The human eye can only detect a small region of the electromagnetic spectrum, termed as the visible light. This includes wavelengths from approximately 400 nm (violet) to 700 nm (red). The naked-eye observation of CBR is not possible as this radiation falls outside this visible range.
03

Telescope Perception of CBR

Similarly, a visible-light telescope is designed to collect and analyze light within the visible spectrum, so it also cannot detect CBR. Telescopes that can detect microwave radiation are required to 'see' CBR. Examples include radio telescopes or space-based observatories like the Planck satellite.
04

Conclusion

Based on the information above, it becomes clear that neither the naked eye nor a visible-light telescope can detect CBR due to it being outside the visible light spectrum of the electromagnetic spectrum.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

Search the World Wide Web for information on a European Space Agency mission called Planck. In what ways is Planck an improvement over the WMAP mission? Has it been launched? If yes, what have scientists learned from Planck? If no, what do they hope plan to learn?

As a group, create a four- to six-panel cartoon strip showing a discussion between two individuals describing why the sky is dark at night.

Some people refer to the Hubble constant as "the Hubble variable." In what sense is this justified?

(a) For what value of the redshift \(z\) were representative distances between galaxies only \(20 \%\) as large as they are now? (b) Compared to representative distances between galaxies in the present-day universe, how large were such distances at \(z=8\) ? Compared to the density of matter in the present-day universe, what was the density of matter at \(z=8\) ? (c) If dark energy is in the form of a cosmological constant, how does its present-day density compare to the density of dark energy at \(z=2\) ? At \(z=5\) ? Explain your answers.

Use the Starry Night Enthusiast TM program to determine how the solar system moves through the cosmic microwave background. This motion appears to be taking us towards the constellation Leo. First, select Favourites \(>\) Guides \(>\) Atlas to display the entire celestial sphere from the center of a transparent Earth. Open the Find pane and click on the magnifying glass symbol to display the Find categories and click on Constellation. Double-click on Leo to center on this constellation and click again on the Find pane tab to close this pane and display the full screen. Select View \(>\) Constellations \(>\) Astronomical and View \(>\) Constellations \(>\) Labels to display and label the constellations. (a) Draw a sketch showing the Sun, the plane in which the Earth orbits the Sun, and the direction in which the solar system moves through the cosmic microwave background. (b) Use the date controls in the toolbar to step through the months of the year. In which month is the Sun placed most nearly in front of the Earth as the solar system travels through the cosmic background radiation?
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