Penzias and Wilson: an isotropic microwave excess

What changed

Measured an unexplained, nearly isotropic microwave antenna-temperature excess after estimating atmospheric, instrumental and ground contributions; the letter connected it to a possible cosmological explanation in a companion paper.

Scientific scope

The 1965 excess antenna-temperature observation at 4080 Mc/s.

Evidence

Original sources and institutional historical accounts support the stated contribution. The reading boundary is recorded at each source; this assessment is not an independent scientific verification.

Contributors

• A. A. Penzias · SCIENCE: Named source contributor to this scoped work; individual labor shares are not measured.
• R. W. Wilson · SCIENCE: Named source contributor to this scoped work; individual labor shares are not measured.

• Penzias and Wilson, A Measurement of Excess Antenna Temperature at 4080 Mc/s, Astrophysical Journal 142, 419–421 (1965)

Provisional WRS assessment, edition 2026-10-16.1. Independent expert calibration is pending. This grade does not certify correctness or assign ownership.

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