Discussion Questions for The Runaway Universe

1. What were the astronomers observing to get the distances to the galaxies? Why did they want to get these objects at their peak luminosities?
2. Why are these objects considered good standard candles for galaxies 1 billion light years away or so?
   
3. What was surprising about their observations, so much so that each team needed confirmation from another team of observers to believe it?
   
4. Why wouldn’t just pictures of the galaxies work for the astronomers? Why were spectra of the galaxies needed?
   
5. What does an accelerating Universe mean for the future of the Universe?