The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) set up to detect gravitational waves, the existence of which was predicted by Albert Einstein on the basis of his Theory of Relativity, is operated by:
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) set up to detect gravitational waves, the existence of which was predicted by Albert Einstein on the basis of his Theory of Relativity, is operated by: Correct Answer Caltech and MIT
The correct answer is Caltech and MIT .Key PointsHow do we know that gravitational waves exist?
- In 2015, scientists detected gravitational waves for the very first time. They used a very sensitive instrument called LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory). These first gravitational waves happened when two black holes crashed into one another. The collision happened 1.3 billion years ago. But, the ripples didn’t make it to Earth until 2015.
Additional InformationWhat causes gravitational waves?
- The most powerful gravitational waves are created when objects move at very high speeds. Some examples of events that could cause a gravitational wave are:
- when a star explodes asymmetrically (called a supernova)
- when two big stars orbit each other
- when two black holes orbit each other and merge
- But these types of objects that create gravitational waves are far away. And sometimes, these events only cause small, weak gravitational waves. The waves are then very weak by the time they reach Earth. This makes gravitational waves hard to detect.
Important PointsHow are gravitational waves detected?
- When a gravitational wave passes by Earth, it squeezes and stretches space.
- LIGO can detect this squeezing and stretching.
- Each LIGO observatory has two “arms” that are each more than 2 miles (4 kilometers) long.
- A passing gravitational wave causes the length of the arms to change slightly. The observatory uses lasers, mirrors, and extremely sensitive instruments to detect these tiny changes
. [ alt="ligo.en" aerial photo of the ligo observatory in hanford washington src="https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/gravitational-waves/en/ligo.en.jpg" style="height: 229px; width: 350px;">
- LIGO is made up of two observatories: one in Louisiana and one in Washington (above). Each observatory has two long “arms” that are each more than 2 miles (4 kilometers) long.
- It is made by Caltech/MIT/LIGO Lab
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Feb 20, 2025