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Image Gallery > Featured Image on December 10, 2006

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The one constant in the Universe: StarDate magazine
Cosmic Prize 
Cosmic Prize 
Tiny fluctuations in the temperature of the early universe show up as different colors in this image compiled from data from an orbiting spacecraft. The fluctions show that matter in the very early universe, not long after the Big Bang, was a little bit "lumpy." The gravity of the lumpy regions was stronger, allowing them to pull in more material and eventually give birth to the first stars and galaxy. Two astronomers are receiving the Nobel Prize for this work, which was part of the Cosmic Background Explorer mission. [NASA/GSFC] For more information, see our December 10 program.

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