Feature Astronomy

Planck by Planck

The upcoming ESA mission will study the cosmic microwave background radiation for clues about the dawn of time

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

Editor’s note: This story was originally posted April 11. The mission successfully launched May 14.
Pssst!  Want to see the birth of the universe? Astronomers say it’s not a scam. The launch of the European Space Agency’s Planck mission, set for May 6, will put into orbit a new tool —the microwave equivalent of polarized sunglasses — that may offer a view of the dawn of time.