Gravitational-wave hunters have a new tool in their arsenal.
The Virgo gravitational-wave detector in Italy has made its first detection of ripples in the fabric of the universe, the collaboration announced today (Sept. 27). The signal was created by two black holes merging together and warping the space around them, creating gravitational waves that rippled through space and traveled 1.8 billion light-years to Earth.
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO), based in the U.S., also detected the event (officially called GW170814), making this the first joint detection by the observatories. LIGO made history in 2016 when it announced the first-ever direct detection of gravitational waves; this is now the fourth event detected by LIGO. [ Hunting Gravitational Waves: How LIGO Works (Infographic) ]
The LIGO and Virgo detectors observed the signal on Aug. 14, only two weeks after Virgo began an observation period. The two black holes had masses about 31 times and 25 times the mass of the sun. When merged, they created a new black hole with a mass about 53 times that of the sun (some mass was converted into energy, in the form of gravitational waves). The two black holes (and the final, single black hole) are in the same mass range as the black holes previously detected by LIGO .
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Hi Matti and welcome to Newstalkers. I'm not familiar with this. What kind of things, if any, can we expect form this event? If so, over what kind of time period. Any idea? Thanks.
Yes, thank you and it is nice to see this place is active. Posting with zero activity might feel a bit frustrating at times.
I'd say that we'll definitely learn a lot more around this topic in our days to come, the gravitational waves I mean.
Dear Friend Matti Vikate: Welcome to the news talkers.
I always enjoyed your science articles on, what was that other site named again?
Peace and Abundant Blessings.
Enoch.
Thank you Enoch, I'm happy to see you here as well.
Peace and Abundant Blessings.
MV