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
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
GW170817
Videos
GW170817 was a gravitational wave observed by the LIGO and Virgo detectors on 17 August 2017, originating within the shell elliptical galaxy NGC 4993, about 140 million light years away. The wave was
Virgo interferometer
…in early August 2017, making its first detection on 14 August (together with the LIGO detectors); this was quickly followed by the detection of the GW170817 gravitational wave, the only one also observed with classical methods (optical, gamma-ray, X-ray and radio telescopes) as of 2024. Virgo is hosted by…
Artistic concept: two neutron stars merge
Light curves at various wavelengths of kilonova in NGC 4993
Artist's impression of strontium emerging from a neutron star merger.
PIA21423 Surface of TRAPPIST 1f