GW150914 First LIGO detection
GW150914 is the first ever detection and proof of the existence of gravitational waves!
The waveform, detected by both LIGO observatories, Hanford and Livingston, matched the predictions of general relativity for a gravitational wave emanating from the inward spiral and merger of a pair of black holes of around 36 and 29 solar masses and the subsequent “ringdown” of the single resulting black hole.
It was also the first observation of a binary black hole merger, demonstrating both the existence of binary stellar-mass black hole systems, and the fact that such mergers could occur within the current age of the universe.
This image was featured on the APOD [Astronomy Picture Of the Day] site the day of the announcement.
GW170114 Converging Black Holes
On January 4th, 2017, LIGO detected two black holes merging into one. One of the black holes was 32 times the mass of the Sun while the other was 19 times the mass of the Sun. When they merged, they created a black hole 49 times the mass of the Sun. The coalescence instantly converted 2 solar masses of black hole mass into the energy that rattled spacetime enough to generate the gravitational waves we detected almost 3 billion years after it occurred. (Caltech/MIT/LIGO Lab) https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/news/ligo20170601
GW170104 Black Holes inspiral
GW170104 event with the two black holes follow their course spiraling around each other.
GW170104 Spiral Orbit
This illustration shows the two black holes of the GW170104 event orbiting around each other and slowly coalescing before finally merging.
Rare Ultra-Long Gamma-Ray Burst 2
Rare Ultra-Long Gamma-Ray Burst with transparent color scheme.
Rare Ultra-Long Gamma-Ray Burst
The NASA Swift satellite observed a long-lasting blast of high-energy light, revealing that the gamma-ray burst was a rare and newly recognized class of ultra-long gamma-ray burst emanating from a galaxy so far away that its light had been traveling for 3.9 billion years.[2014]
Dark Pulsar in CTA 1 supernova remnant
Previously, the nebula CTA 1 showed an expanding supernova remnant, a jet, and a point source expected to be a pulsar. But no radio pulses were detected. NASA’s Fermi Space Telescope has solved the mystery with some of its initial observations indicating that the point source is pulsing at gamma-ray energies. The strange source is the first of a class that might be dubbed “dark pulsars”, rotating neutron stars that appear to pulse only in high-energy radiations.
GRB111209A version 2
Illustration/Schematic of gamma-ray burst GRB111209A detected by the NASA Swift satellite observatory with a different color scheme.
GRB111209A version 1
Illustration/Schematic of gamma-ray burst GRB111209A detected by the NASA Swift satellite observatory.
Tidal disruption of a supermassive black hole
Swift observation of a Supermassive black hole following the tidal disruption of a star that wandered too close.