[spunkets]

"How did we arrive at this point in spacetime before light from the Big Bang (or from shortly thereafter) did?"

The universe is like the debris from the original blast. That debris has a temperature corresponding to how far it cooled down. Everything that has a temperature(motion) emits light that has a maximun wavelength, or frequency, according to that particular temp. The light they're looking at is the light that's emitted all over as a result of the universe having cooled down so far. When a particular photon was emitted usually isn't known, it's the maximum of the envelope of frequencies that's important.

[LibWhacker]

Hi, spunkets! Thank you. Is not what you are saying applicable only to the so-called 'background radiation?' In other words, in the picture at the top of this thread, for example, that light is not light that's emitted all over as a result of the universe cooling down, is it?

Please look at my question this way: It's not your explanation, but my total befuddlement that is the problem. :-)