LIGO
Laser interferometers that enabled direct gravitational-wave astronomy.
Overview
LIGO's twin 4 km laser interferometers measure spacetime distortions far smaller than a proton. The 2015 detection of GW150914 opened gravitational-wave astronomy and a new way to observe compact-object mergers.
Key discoveries
- First direct detection of gravitational waves (GW150914)
- Detection of the binary neutron-star merger GW170817
- A census of stellar-mass black-hole mergers