๐Ÿชintro to astronomy review

key term - Gravitational waves

Definition

Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime caused by accelerating massive objects, such as colliding black holes or neutron stars. These waves propagate at the speed of light and carry energy away from their source.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

  1. Gravitational waves were first directly detected by LIGO in 2015.
  2. The strongest sources of gravitational waves include binary mergers of black holes and neutron stars.
  3. Gravitational waves provide a new way to observe cosmic events that are not detectable through electromagnetic radiation.
  4. Their detection helps confirm predictions made by Einstein's theory of general relativity.
  5. Gamma-ray bursts, particularly short-duration ones, are often associated with the merger of neutron stars, which also produce gravitational waves.

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