Ability to detect gravitational waves opens new window on the cosmos
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029577
Christian Science Monitor : The first direct observation of a gravitational wave, which was announced on 11 February, has opened up a new field of astronomy, writes Calla Cofield for the Christian Science Monitor. Through the use of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and more powerful instruments in the future, scientists will be able to study aspects of the universe that have been undetectable by optical telescopes or any of the other instruments developed over the past century to study different wavelengths of light, such as x rays, radio waves, UV waves, and gamma rays. Cofield discusses the importance of gravitational waves to the future of astronomy and their potential for shedding new light on such objects as black holes, supernovas, and neutron stars.
