Structure of the cosmic microwave background

The structure expected in the cosmic microwave background over large angular scales in realistic anisotropic and inhomogeneous universes is predicted. In a homogeneous anisotropic universe it is found that there exist two possibilities, a quadrupole or a hotspot pattern with and without dipole contributions. A hotspot allows a direct observational test of an open universe. Infinite wavelength inhomogeneous perturbations of the Friedman universe are shown to be represented as ensembles of different homogeneous universes. (author)