
Gallery


What are Short Gamma Ray Bursts?
What are Short Gamma Ray Bursts?
CIERA Director Vicky Kalogera and Associate Director Shane Larson talk about the history of gamma ray bursts, and the theory that short gamma ray bursts are caused by collisions of neutron starts. Now, that puzzle is solved!
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

What are Gravitational Waves?
What are Gravitational Waves?
Northwestern University astronomers talk about gravitational waves — what they are, how to understand them, and why they are important to studying the Universe.
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

The Signal
The Signal
CIERA Associate Director and Northwestern LIGO group member Shane Larson describes how different the 2017 Neutron Star Merger (GW170817) signal is from previous signals.
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

The Mass Gap Mystery
The Mass Gap Mystery
CIERA Associate Director and Northwestern LIGO group member Shane Larson describes how the masses of objects in our Universe is very important to astronomers’ understanding of events like GW170817.
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

The Application of Basic Science
The Application of Basic Science
CIERA Director and Northwestern LIGO group lead Vicky Kalogera talks about how basic science is discovered and used in society.
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

Science Lecture from Peering into the Cosmic Maelstrom
Science Lecture from Peering into the Cosmic Maelstrom
Following the October 16, 2017 announcement of the first-ever observation of a binary neutron star inspiral and merger, Northwestern’s astronomy research center, CIERA, held a discussion with the Northwestern scientists behind the discovery. View the lecture by Shane Larson to understand the science behind this amazing astronomical event!
CIERA / Northwestern
- Outreach,
- Science,
- Event,
- Education

Peering into the Cosmic Maelstrom
Peering into the Cosmic Maelstrom
Following the October 16, 2017 announcement of the first-ever observation of a binary neutron star inspiral and merger, Northwestern’s astronomy research center, CIERA, held a discussion with the Northwestern scientists behind the discovery. View the recording of this event in full, and join Professors Vicky Kalogera, Shane Larson, Raffaella Margutti and Wen-fai Fong as they
CIERA / Northwestern
- Outreach,
- Science,
- Event,
- Education

Panel Discussion from Peering into the Cosmic Maelstrom
Panel Discussion from Peering into the Cosmic Maelstrom
Following the October 16, 2017 announcement of the first-ever observation of a binary neutron star inspiral and merger, Northwestern’s astronomy research center, CIERA, held a discussion with the Northwestern scientists behind the discovery. View the panel discussion with Professors Vicky Kalogera, Raffaella Margutti, and Wen-fai Fong. Panel moderated by Adler Planetarium President & CEO, Michelle
CIERA / Northwestern
- Outreach,
- Science,
- Event,
- Education

Optical Telescope Follow-Up
Optical Telescope Follow-Up
After the spectacular collision of two neutron stars, which produced gravitational waves that were detected here on Earth, astronomers at Northwestern University describe how telescopes around the world looked for light.
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

Masses in the Stellar Graveyard

Masses in the Stellar Graveyard

Masses in the Stellar Graveyard
Supported Browsers: Windows: Google Chrome Mac: Google Chrome or Safari
Visualization: LIGO -Virgo / Frank Elavsky, Aaron Geller / Northwestern
- Education,
- Science

Final Flight of a Neutron Star Pair: GW170817 from Birth to Merger in Galaxy NGC 4993
Final Flight of a Neutron Star Pair: GW170817 from Birth to Merger in Galaxy NGC 4993
This video illustrates the collision of two neutron stars (GW170817).
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

Final Flight of a Neutron Star Pair

Final Flight of a Neutron Star Pair
This interactive allows you to investigate possible past lives of the two neutron stars that merged in an event called GW170817 in the galaxy NGC 4993. The pair of stars—a neutron star and a normal star—orbit quietly, until the normal star undergoes a supernova, spawning a second neutron star and “kicking” the system into an elliptical orbit.
LIGO-Virgo / Aaron Geller / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

Cosmic Skeletons Dancing in a Stellar Graveyard
Cosmic Skeletons Dancing in a Stellar Graveyard
An international research collaboration, including four Northwestern University astronomers, is the first to detect the spectacular collision of two neutron stars in a nearby galaxy using both gravitational waves and light.
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

Binary Neutron Stars
Binary Neutron Stars
What is a neutron star? What is it like when two neutron stars collide? Northwestern University astronomers describe the GW170817 merger of these massive objects in our Universe.
LIGO-Virgo / Northwestern
- Science,
- Education

Audience Questions from Peering into the Cosmic Maelstrom
Audience Questions from Peering into the Cosmic Maelstrom
Following the October 16, 2017 announcement of the first-ever observation of a binary neutron star inspiral and merger, Northwestern’s astronomy research center, CIERA, held a discussion with the Northwestern scientists behind the discovery. View the audience question & answer period from this event.
CIERA / Northwestern
- Outreach,
- Science,
- Event,
- Education

Neutron Star Over Chicago

Neutron Star Over Chicago
A neutron star compared with the skyline of Chicago. Neutron stars are about 12 miles in diameter and are extremely dense.
Nick Gertonson / Daniel Schwen / Northwestern / LIGO-Virgo