Event one. Hydrogen in-rush, causing the formation of galaxies. The Big Bang. And the Viper hopes to gather more clues into this scientific theoretical mystery.

No, we aren't talking about the morphing car show "Viper", a short-lived mid-season replacement on NBC from the early part of this decade... we're referring to the name Carnegie Mellon University scientists and students have given to a new telescope they have built.

Going against traditional telescope designs, which are cylindrical or otherwise have their mirrors and lenses arranged along a common axis, Viper's four mirrors are offset from each other, directing light gathered by its 6-foot-wide main mirror onto a weaving snake-like course.

This two-story monstrosity will soon be headed towards the South Pole, where Viper will spend four years bearing the cold air, studying the even colder remnants of the Big Bang that started the universe's expansion.

The observations should produce the most detailed knowledge yet about the primordial clouds of gas that existed before the stars and galaxies had theoretically formed.

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