First Results From Planck Observatory Released

[beso]

According to the results the CMB is definitely not uniform and there is a cold spot.

The "Axis of Evil" happens to be aligned with the ecliptic.

Is the Axis an observational artifact or a remarkable coincidence?

[jake-the-peg]

Yup - odd isn't it

First remarked upon 10 years ago, lots of investigation as to possible instrumentation error but it looks like it's true

[heathfield]

There are those who are asking whether the zodiacal dust in the solar system's plane could be affecting the results.

[LazyGun]

Astrophysicists and cosmologists are just asking for the trouble when they dream up such portentous names in a search for publicity :)

Look at all the problems they caused when they coined the term "the god particle" for the Higgs Boson?

And calling an area in space "the axis of evil" is bound to cause trouble - we will be having some calling for pre-emptive nuclear strikes next - on a region of space! :)

[Teddio]

The ecliptic plane contains lots of dust. This could be scattering some of the microwave energy. However, the average size of the dust particles should make it largely transparent to microwave radiation.

[ludwig]

It could just be something on the lens. They should give it a wipe.

[DaisyNonna]

What are you discussing?

[jim360]

CMB = Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation. It's a sort of echo of the past. Lots of energy released in the from of light in (or shortly after) the Big Bang, and it shows up now as microwaves. The patterns in it tell us a lot about that past and also tell us that we have a lot still to understand.

[Old_Geezer]

Ah, it's an axle of evil. Bound to get hot as the universe spins and twists that centre bit. The far away bits are moving so fast to keep up they cool down.

[LazyGun]

Now see, O_G's answer makes perfect sense - an axle of evil rather than an axis.... elementary spelling error by these pesky astrophysicists! :)