LIGO
Videos
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory designed to detect cosmic gravitational waves. Prior to LIGO, all data about the universe ha
The LIGO Livingston control room as it was during Advanced LIGO's first observing run (O1)
LIGO Hanford Observatory
LIGO Louisiana Observatory
Western leg of LIGO interferometer on Hanford Reservation
Virgo interferometer
Videos
The Virgo interferometer is a large-scale scientific instrument near Pisa, Italy, for detecting gravitational waves. The detector is a Michelson interferometer, which can detect the minuscule length v
LIGO
…waves by laser interferometry. Two additional, smaller gravitational wave observatories are now operational: one in Japan (KAGRA), and one in Italy (Virgo). The two LIGO observatories use mirrors spaced 4 kilometres (13,000 ft) apart to measure changes in length—over an effective span of 1,120 kilometres…
Aerial view of Virgo
Computer simulation of gravitational waves emitted by the orbital decay and merger of two black holes
Typical "chirp" of a gravitational-wave signal from the GW170817 event. The x axis represents time, and the y axis the frequency. The frequency increase over time is typical of gravitational waves from binary compact objects, and its shape is primarily determined by the objects' mass.
Mirror from the initial Virgo detector, now an exposition model at the Virgo site