About

The project involves the construction and operation of two observatories located in Livingston, Louisiana and Hanford, Washington. The primary instrument used by LIGO is a pair of Michelson interferometers, each consisting of two perpendicular arms with mirrors at their ends. These arms are several kilometers long and are designed to measure tiny changes in the distances traveled by laser beams reflected between the mirrors. The interferometers' sensitivity allows them to detect minuscule variations caused by gravitational waves passing through the observatories. LIGO made history on September 14, 2015, when it detected the first direct evidence of gravitational waves originating from the merger of two black holes. This groundbreaking discovery confirmed the existence of gravitational waves, as predicted by Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity. Since then, LIGO has continued observing gravitational wave events, with subsequent detections including neutron star mergers and more black hole mergers. These observations have provided valuable insights into the nature of black holes, neutron stars, and the universe itself. LIGO's achievements have opened a new window to observe the cosmos, allowing scientists to study phenomena that were previously undetectable. The project is an international collaboration between scientists and institutions from numerous countries and is funded by the National Science Foundation in the United States. The data collected by LIGO is shared with the broader scientific community, enabling researchers worldwide to conduct further studies and deepen our understanding of astrophysics, cosmology, and the fundamental nature of gravity. Overall, LIGO's pursuit of gravitational wave detection has revolutionized our ability to explore the universe, marking a significant milestone in scientific discovery and paving the way for future breakthroughs in gravitational wave astronomy.