Editing Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (section)

== Objectives ==
[[File:CMB Timeline75.jpg|thumb|left|The universe's timeline, from the [[Big Bang]] to the WMAP]]
[[File:BigBangNoise.jpg|thumb|right|A comparison of the sensitivity of WMAP with COBE and Penzias and Wilson's [[Holmdel Horn Antenna|telescope]] (simulated data)]]

The WMAP objective was to measure the temperature differences in the [[Cosmic microwave background radiation|Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) radiation]]. The anisotropies then were used to measure the universe's geometry, content, and [[Evolution of the universe|evolution]]; and to test the [[Big Bang]] model, and the [[cosmic inflation]] theory.<ref name="2003Bennett"/> For that, the mission created a full-sky map of the CMB, with a 13 [[Minute and second of arc|arcminutes]] resolution via multi-frequency observation. The map required the fewest [[systematic error]]s, no correlated pixel noise, and accurate calibration, to ensure angular-scale accuracy greater than its resolution.<ref name="2003Bennett">Bennett et al. (2003a)</ref> The map contains 3,145,728 pixels, and uses the [[HEALPix]] scheme to pixelize the sphere.<ref name="2003Bennettb">Bennett et al. (2003b)</ref> The telescope also measured the CMB's E-mode polarization,<ref name="2003Bennett" /> and foreground polarization.<ref name="2009Hinshaw" /> Its service life was 27 months; 3 to reach the {{L2}} position, and 2 years of observation.<ref name="2003Bennett" />