8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Part I: Galaxy Imagery
Fundamental Question: How do astronomers use pictures of distant galaxies to
determine the age of the universe?
1. 
Who are the important scientists involved in this work?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
What did they discover?
_____________________________________________________
3. 
When did they discover this?
_____________________________________________________
4. 
Where was the discovery made?
_____________________________________________________
5. 
Why is the discovery important?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. 
How was it discovered? What scientific instruments were used?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7. 
Interesting facts about the discovery:
_____________________________________________________
Part II: Star Formation
Fundamental Question: What does the formation of stars tell us about the age of the
universe?
1. 
Who are the important scientists involved in this work?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
What did they discover?
_____________________________________________________
3. 
When did they discover this?
_____________________________________________________
1
8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Part II: Star Formation, continued
4. 
Where was the discovery made?
_____________________________________________________
5. 
Why is the discovery important?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. 
How was it discovered? What scientific instruments were used?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7. 
Interesting facts about the discovery:
_____________________________________________________
Part III: Formation of Celestial Objects
Fundamental Question: What does the formation of other celestial objects, such as
quasars, tell us about the age of the universe?
1. 
Who are the important scientists involved in this work?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
What did they discover?
_____________________________________________________
3. 
When did they discover this?
_____________________________________________________
4. 
Where was the discovery made?
_____________________________________________________
5. 
Why is the discovery important?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. 
How was it discovered? What scientific instruments were used?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7. 
Interesting facts about the discovery:
_____________________________________________________
2
8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Part IV: Expansion Rate
Fundamental Question: How do astronomers use the rate of universe expansion to
determine the age of the universe?
1. 
Who are the important scientists involved in this work?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
What did they discover?
_____________________________________________________
3. 
When did they discover this?
_____________________________________________________
4. 
Where was the discovery made?
_____________________________________________________
5. 
Why is the discovery important?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. 
How was it discovered? What scientific instruments were used?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7. 
Interesting facts about the discovery:
_____________________________________________________
Part V: Telescopes
Fundamental Question: How do scientists use telescopes to study he origins of the
universe?
1. 
Who are the important scientists involved in this work?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
What did they discover?
_____________________________________________________
3. 
When did they discover this?
_____________________________________________________
4. 
Where was the discovery made?
_____________________________________________________
3
8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Part V: Telescopes, continued
5. 
Why is the discovery important?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. 
How was it discovered? What scientific instruments were used?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7. 
Interesting facts about the discovery:
_____________________________________________________
Part VI: Microwave Radiation
Fundamental Question: How do astronomers use microwave radiation to study the
origins of the universe?
1. 
Who are the important scientists involved in this work?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
What did they discover?
_____________________________________________________
3. 
When did they discover this?
_____________________________________________________
4. 
Where was the discovery made?
_____________________________________________________
5. 
Why is the discovery important?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. 
How was it discovered? What scientific instruments were used?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7. 
Interesting facts about the discovery:
_____________________________________________________
4
8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Part VII: Big Bang Model
Fundamental Question: What is the Big Bang Model of the origin of the universe?
1. 
Who are the important scientists involved in this work?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
What did they discover?
_____________________________________________________
3. 
When did they discover this?
_____________________________________________________
4. 
Where was the discovery made?
_____________________________________________________
5. 
Why is the discovery important?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. 
How was it discovered? What scientific instruments were used?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7. 
Interesting facts about the discovery:
_____________________________________________________
Part VIII: Properties of Galaxies
Fundamental Question: what do the properties of galaxies tell astronomers about the
origins of the universe?
1. 
Who are the important scientists involved in this work?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
What did they discover?
_____________________________________________________
3. 
When did they discover this?
_____________________________________________________
4. 
Where was the discovery made?
_____________________________________________________
5
8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Part VIII: Properties of Galaxies, continued
5. 
Why is the discovery important?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
6. 
How was it discovered? What scientific instruments were used?
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
7. 
Interesting facts about the discovery:
_____________________________________________________
Student Presentations:
When presentations are ready, participate in your group’s presentation and watch and listen to
the others. Fill in the data tables below for each as the information is revealed.
Part I: Galaxy Imagery
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How/Instruments?
Facts
Part II: Star Formation
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How/Instruments?
Facts
6
8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Student Presentations:
When presentations are ready, participate in your group’s presentation and watch and listen to
the others. Fill in the data tables below for each as the information is revealed.
Part III: Formation of Celestial Objects
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How/Instruments?
Facts
Part IV: Expansion Rate
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How/Instruments?
Facts
Part V: Telescopes
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How/Instruments?
Facts
7
8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Student Presentations:
When presentations are ready, participate in your group’s presentation and watch and listen to
the others. Fill in the data tables below for each as the information is revealed.
Part VI: Microwave Radiation
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How/Instruments?
Facts
Part VII: Big Bang Model
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How/Instruments?
Facts
Part VIII: Properties of Galaxies
Who?
What?
When?
Where?
Why?
How/Instruments?
Facts
8
8.8E: Origins of the Universe
Earth and Space
Reflections and Conclusions
1. 
Name some ways data are collected by astronomers.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
2. 
Name some of the important astronomers.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
3. 
Explain what you know about the Big Bang Model.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
4. 
Explain what you know about how astronomers have determined the age of the universe.
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________
9