The Dawn Of The Universe

Our look back to what astronomers call the Dark Ages — the era between the Big Bang and the birth of stars — provoked awe at the ability to peer through such vast expanses of time and space. Some readers said scientists have reached beyond their data, while others found an affirmation of God's work

I'm so glad that your astronomy cover story about the first stars [Sept. 4] dealt with what we astronomers really do rather than the mere semantic debate over whether Pluto is a planet or a dwarf planet. Michael Lemonick wonderfully conveyed the feeling...