{"id":15072,"date":"2017-10-16T11:57:06","date_gmt":"2017-10-16T15:57:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=15072"},"modified":"2017-10-16T11:57:06","modified_gmt":"2017-10-16T15:57:06","slug":"hubble-source-of-gravitational-wave-observed-in-visible-light-for-the-first-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=15072","title":{"rendered":"Hubble: Source of gravitational wave observed in visible light for the first time"},"content":{"rendered":"

An announcement from\u00a0Hubble Space Telescope<\/a>\u00a0observatory:<\/p>\n

Hubble observes source of gravitational waves for the first time<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

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On 17 August 2017, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo Interferometer both detected gravitational waves from the collision between two neutron stars. Within 12 hours observatories had identified the source of the event within the lenticular galaxy NGC 4993, shown in this image gathered with the NASA\/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. The associated stellar flare, a kilonova, is clearly visible in the Hubble observations. This is the first time the optical counterpart of a gravitational wave event was observed. Hubble observed the kilonova gradually fading over the course of six days, as shown in these observations taken in between 22 and 28 August (insets). [Larger images<\/a>]<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>The NASA\/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has observed for the first time the source of a gravitational wave, created by the merger of two neutron stars. This merger created a kilonova \u2014 an object predicted by theory decades ago \u2014 that ejects heavy elements such as gold and platinum into space. This event also provides the strongest evidence yet that short duration gamma-ray bursts are caused by mergers of neutron stars. This discovery is the first glimpse of multi-messenger astronomy, bringing together both gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation.<\/p>\n