Where is the first gravitational-wave observatory located?
Quick Answer
The first major gravitational-wave observatory was built in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. These are the two LIGO sites in the United States.
The Full Story
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, or LIGO, has two locations: Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. The twin detectors were built to measure tiny distortions in space-time caused by passing gravitational waves. On 14 September 2015, LIGO made the first direct detection of gravitational waves from a black hole merger. That discovery, announced in 2016, confirmed a major prediction of Einstein’s general relativity.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"Where Einstein’s ripples in space-time were first heard."
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