LIGO gravitational wave detector optics. Researchers working on a large optic suspension for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). LIGO compares measurements between two detector sites 3000 kilometres apart. Each site uses laser interferometers to monitor light beams bounced between mirrors,looking for small changes caused by gravitational waves. LIGO has been operating since 2002,with an advanced upgrade (aLIGO) operating since 2015. This is the Y-arm input test mass (ITMY,orange mirror,lower centre) at the LIGO Livingston site,Louisiana,USA. On 11th February 2016 it was announced that gravitational waves had been detected by LIGO. The signal was detected on 14th September 2015,and was the result of two black holes colliding 1.3 billion years ago. Photographed on 18 September 2012 | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / LIGO Lab / MIT / Caltech |
Bildgröße: | 3023 px × 4062 px |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
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