Discovery · 1998 CE
The Accelerating Universe
History of Astronomy
Overview
Two teams using distant Type Ia supernovae found that the expansion of the universe is speeding up, driven by a mysterious 'dark energy'.
Why it matters
Revealed that dark energy dominates the universe; recognised with the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics.
Credit
Knowledge connections
- Discovered bySaul Perlmutter
- Discovered byBrian Schmidt
- Discovered byAdam Riess
- Part ofContemporary Astronomy
- Related toDark Energy
Sources & references
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- The Nobel PrizeThe Nobel Foundation
Official record of Nobel laureates, prize motivations, and award years.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.