In principle,if we could see all the way to the cosmological horizon we could see the Big Bang taking place.However,our view is blocked for times prior to about 380,000 years after the Big Bang.Why?
A)Before that time,the universe was too crowded with stars.
B)Before that time,the gas in the universe was dense and ionized and therefore did not allow light to travel freely.
C)Before that time,the universe was dark so there was no light to illuminate anything.
D)380,000 years after the Big Bang marks the time when stars were first born,and thus began to shine the light by which we can see the universe.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Before about 380,000 years after the Big Bang, the universe was filled with a dense, ionized gas that scattered and absorbed any light that tried to travel through it. This means that the earliest light that was emitted after the Big Bang was effectively "trapped" by this gas and couldn't travel freely through space until it had dissipated enough to allow light to pass through. This event, called recombination, occurred around 380,000 years after the Big Bang, which is why we can't see anything prior to that time.

In Principle,if We Could See All the Way to the Cosmological