LIGO and Virgo detect gravitational waves from black holes colliding

Remember this thread? ATS, Space Exploration: We may have detected a new source of gravitational waves (maybe).

People were speculating that the two detectors and then some space based telescopes detected two neutron stars colliding. Then, it may have been a neutron star and a black hole merging.

It was neither of those!

In August, detectors on two continents recorded gravitational wave signals from a pair of black holes colliding. This discovery, announced today, is the first observation of gravitational waves by three different detectors, marking a new era of greater insights and improved localization of cosmic events now available through globally networked gravitational-wave observatories.

The collision was observed Aug. 14 at 10:30:43 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) using the two National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington, and the Virgo detector.

The detected gravitational waves—ripples in space and time—were emitted during the final moments of the merger of two black holes, one with a mass about 31 times that of our sun, the other about 25 times the mass of the sun. The event, located about 1.8 billion light-years away resulted in a spinning black hole with about 53 times the mass of our sun—that means about three solar masses were converted into gravitational-wave energy during the coalescence.

Today, we are delighted to announce the first discovery made in partnership between the Virgo gravitational-wave observatory and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the first time a gravitational wave detection was observed by these observatories, located thousands of miles apart. This is an exciting milestone in the growing international scientific effort to unlock the extraordinary mysteries of our universe.

--NSF Director France Córdova

Phys.org, Sept. 27, 2017 – LIGO and Virgo observatories detect gravitational wave signals from black hole collision

Er, I have a question. Back when the speculation was running wild about what was observed, they pointed space telescopes, including Hubble, in that direction, so what's up with that?

LIGO and Virgo’s partner electromagnetic facilities around the world didn’t identify a counterpart for GW170814, which was similar to the three prior LIGO observations of black hole mergers. Black holes produce gravitational waves but not light.

MIT News (.edu) - Gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger observed by LIGO and Virgo.

Well there is the answer buried in the original press release!

Looks like both LIGO and Virgo have partners that will use their space telescope time to point in the direction of the detected gravity waves to see if they can spot a flare up so they know if stellar material released light. There was none detected so they went back to two black holes merging.

Bummer.

I would have liked to have seen two neutron stars merging! That would be a wild show if they ever capture that happening with a space based telescope! The future of LIGO and Virgo is to be joined by a third detector to allow triangulation (the location in space) of mergers.

Space is vast! Black holes are wild things! And in little less than a year and half, there are two detectors out there verifying their observations of the ripples in space-time when super massive objects send out ripples into the Universe when they collide!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

I'm extremely excited to see Virgo confirm it's first detection, and it also be confirmed by the LIGO interferometers. It's an exciting time.

a reply to: pfishy

Yeah it is! On the verge of radio telescope discoveries like we've never seen before.

The third gravity wave detector will also help out pinpointing the source

Still, was hoping for neutron stars merging!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Me too. But I think that none of these detectors is quite optimized to the frequencies of a neutron/neutron merger yet.

a reply to: pfishy

They detect the gravity waves then swing a telescope in the direction. If they see a flare of light then it is an indication of a black hole consuming a massive object. Since you can't see a black hole, if there is no flair of visible EM energy you have a good idea that a star wasn't eaten.

The only thing that the detectors look for are gravity waves. The visible portion are other devices.

Hope I don't sound as drunk as I am!

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

Well, that is true. But also, the predicted wavelengths of a NS/NS merger are at the very edge of the capabilities of either system (either system, meaning LIGO is 2 identical interferometers, therefore inseperable in capability).

a reply to: TEOTWAWKIAIFF

And i also hope i don't sound as drunk as i am. Pfishy has been swimming in Captain Morgan's tank this evening

a reply to: pfishy

My day was hectic. Space Dust IPA prior to dinner!

Those days happen.

originally posted by: TEOTWAWKIAIFF


Remember this thread? ATS, Space Exploration: We may have detected a new source of gravitational waves (maybe).

In August, detectors on two continents recorded gravitational wave signals from a pair of black holes colliding. This discovery, announced today, is the first observation of gravitational waves by three different detectors, marking a new era of greater insights and improved localization of cosmic events now available through globally networked gravitational-wave observatories.

The collision was observed Aug. 14 at 10:30:43 a.m. Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) using the two National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington, and the Virgo detector.

The detected gravitational waves—ripples in space and time—were emitted during the final moments of the merger of two black holes, one with a mass about 31 times that of our sun, the other about 25 times the mass of the sun. The event, located about 1.8 billion light-years away resulted in a spinning black hole with about 53 times the mass of our sun—that means about three solar masses were converted into gravitational-wave energy during the coalescence.

Today, we are delighted to announce the first discovery made in partnership between the Virgo gravitational-wave observatory and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the first time a gravitational wave detection was observed by these observatories, located thousands of miles apart. This is an exciting milestone in the growing international scientific effort to unlock the extraordinary mysteries of our universe.

--NSF Director France Córdova

Phys.org, Sept. 27, 2017 – LIGO and Virgo observatories detect gravitational wave signals from black hole collision
...

I would have liked to have seen two neutron stars merging! That would be a wild show if they ever capture that happening with a space based telescope! The future of LIGO and Virgo is to be joined by a third detector to allow triangulation (the location in space) of mergers.

(due to nesting BBcodes, had to unquote sections, this all from OP)


Update! Oct. 16

Those sneaky bastids!!

One of the reasons I date things is to show the timeline of events. In this case, the "new gravitational waves detected (maybe)" rumor was they detected two neutron stars merging. Then the Sept. 22 announcement was to say, "Nope. Just two blackholes colliding". By doing so, they were trying to get the cat back in the bag. Because...

For the first time, scientists have directly detected gravitational waves — ripples in space-time — in addition to light from the spectacular collision of two neutron stars. This marks the first time that a cosmic event has been viewed in both gravitational waves and light.

The discovery was made using the U.S.-based Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO); the Europe-based Virgo detector; and some 70 ground- and space-based observatories.

Neutron stars are the smallest, densest stars known to exist and are formed when massive stars explode in supernovas. As these neutron stars spiraled together, they emitted gravitational waves that were detectable for about 100 seconds; when they collided, a flash of light in the form of gamma rays was emitted and seen on Earth about two seconds after the gravitational waves. In the days and weeks following the smashup, other forms of light, or electromagnetic radiation — including X-ray, ultraviolet, optical, infrared, and radio waves — were detected.

MIT News, ct. 16, 2017 - LIGO and Virgo make first detection of gravitational waves produced by colliding neutron stars.

The whole time they knew! They were told to keep quite until today's announcement. There were duel press conferences.

Seems like the first conference in September was a dry run for today's announcement!

There is the story of how neutron star merger in a tweet gets turned into mundane black hole merging, then, "hyperbole machine set in overdrive" for... an announcement that, yes, two neutron stars were caught merging by every single way you can imagine including gravity waves!

Even with a "white lie" about black holes! (That's just racist! lol )