Planck unveils wonders of the Universe

Planck unveils wonders of the Universe. Astronomers reveal galaxy clusters and distant cold objects from space. Adapted from a news release issued by the UK Space Agency - Monday 17 December 2010 Scientists working on Europe's Planck spacecraft have released the mission's first new findings this week in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics , revealing the coldest objects in the Universe in greater detail than ever before. Astronomers from Imperial College London and others from the European Space Agency have discovered massive galaxy clusters and previously unseen and unidentified objects from both our own galaxy (the Milky Way) and the most distant reaches of space. Planck's primary goal is to take images of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the afterglow of the Big Bang. Whilst doing so, it will also provide valuable data for a broad range of studies in astrophysics. "Planck will help us to build a ladder connecting our Milky Way to the faint, distant galaxies and uncovering the evolution of dusty, star forming galaxies throughout cosmic history," said Dr David Clements from the Department of Physics at Imperial College London and part of the Planck team.