Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)

The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) was launched on November 18, 1989. Its mission was to study the microwave sky in order to detect radiation emitted by the Big Bang. Scientists have been very excited about the information from this probe because they believe it has actually peered back 15 billion years in time! While surveying the sky in microwave wavelengths, COBE has transmitted evidence which supports the Big Bang Theory of the creation of the universe. This cosmological event is believed to have occurred 15 billion years ago.

All spacecraft images courtesy NASA
© The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, 1999