BIG NEWS ON GRAVITATIONAL WAVES!

Hey Space Placers!

Today we are leaving the solar system WAY behind and heading out into the Universe because of BIG NEWS from the world of gravitational waves - see my previous blogs.

On April 1, 2019 the newly upgraded Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) LIGO and Virgo Observatory in Italy went back on line. And shortly thereafter new discoveries followed.

A second neutron star merger was discovered and maybe, just maybe, the first ever merger of a black hole and neutron star.

Scientific simulation of a black hole consuming a neutron star.Credit: A. Tonita, L. Rezzolla, F. Pannarale

The astronomical jury is compiling more data to try and see if this really was observed. It is a detection event that is eagerly anticipated.

The other big news is that with this upgrade it is predicted that a new black hole merger will be detected EVERY WEEK with a merger of neutron stars EVERY MONTH!   WOW!!!

Get more information here.

Sky Guy in VA