Re: 3 K background radiation

[Jon Bell <jtbell@cs1.presby.edu>]

 Alex. F. Burr <PHYS010@NMSUVM1.NMSU.EDU> wrote:
> Since it is possible to measure the velocity of the earth with respect
> to the 3 K blackbosy radiation left over from the big bang, why
> cannot one use it as the basis for an absolute reference frame?

Nothing prevents one from using the 3K background radiation to define a 
"preferred" reference frame, but there would be little advantage in doing 
so, as far as I know.  Of course, it would be easiest to describe the 3K 
background radiation itself in that reference frame, since it would be 
uniform except for the random variations which were detected recently by 
COBE.  But it wouldn't help you with much of anything else.  The basic 
laws of physics are the same in the 3K radiation frame as in any other 
reference frame.

-- 
Jon Bell <jtbell@presby.edu>                        Presbyterian College
Dept. of Physics and Computer Science        Clinton, South Carolina USA