Description:

Join CIERA graduate student astronomers for a discussion of gravitational waves & black holes. Our astronomers will briefly present their own research and invite guests to ask them any and all of their pressing astronomy questions!

Gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime, which can emanate from merging black holes and neutron stars billions of light years away. We'll discuss two different instruments used to detect gravitational waves. The LIGO detectors, located in Washington and Louisiana, have already made six detections of gravitational wave events and are currently undergoing refurbishments in preparation for a year-long search for more astrophysical signals. LISA, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, is a massive gravitational wave detector which is currently set to launch into space in 2034. Come hear about these two different gravitational wave experiments and the exotic astrophysical sources they can detect!