I am quite amazed that noone has pointed out that in terms of the cosmic microwave background, the sky is <i>not</i> black. The radiation that travels the furthest before hitting us is this background radiation. It only appears to be dim because it has been redshifted a huge amount due to the expansion of the universe since then.<p>But yes - everywhere you look in the sky (unless there is something in the way), you are looking directly at the intense fire of the birth of our universe. Red-shifted until you can&#x27;t even see it any more.