COBE (Cosmic Background Explorer)

The Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) was a NASA satellite launched in 1989 to study the universe's earliest light. It measured the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB)—the faint afterglow of the Big Bang—providing detailed data about its temperature and uniformity. These measurements helped confirm the Big Bang theory and revealed tiny fluctuations that eventually formed galaxies. COBE's findings deepened our understanding of the universe's origin, structure, and evolution, earning a Nobel Prize in Physics for its scientists. Essentially, COBE acted as a cosmic photograph, capturing crucial clues about the universe’s birth and development.