Above are two microwave images of the sky, looking north and south of our galaxy 's equator, based on data from NASA's COBE satellite. These spots are the oldest structures known - probably the oldest structures humanity will ever know. They are also the most distant. As our universe expanded and cooled, conglomerations of mass formed - these are some of the first. By studying the size and distribution of the spots found with COBE and future missions , astronomers hope to learn what matter and processes caused the spots to form - and hence determine the composition , density , and future of our universe.
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