Skip to content
AsteriaStar
Source class

Binary Neutron Star Merger

The merger of two neutron stars — a gravitational-wave source that also lights up across the electromagnetic spectrum, producing a short gamma-ray burst and a kilonova. The 2017 event GW170817 was seen in both gravitational waves and light, founding multi-messenger astronomy with gravitational waves.

Highlights

  • Seen in both gravitational waves and light — GW170817

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.