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AsteriaStar
Source class

Binary Black Hole Merger

The merger of two black holes spiralling together — the most common gravitational-wave source detected, and usually a purely gravitational event with no light. The first ever direct detection, in 2015, was of such a merger over a billion light-years away.

Highlights

  • The first gravitational-wave source ever detected

Across multi-messenger astronomy

Knowledge connections

Sources

The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.

  • LIGO Scientific CollaborationLIGO Scientific Collaboration & Virgo Collaboration

    Direct detections of gravitational waves from compact-object mergers.