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Complete transcript available.

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For a system containing black holes with about 30 times the sun’s mass, similar to the one detected by LIGO in 2015, the orbital period at the start of the movie is just 65 milliseconds, with the black holes moving at about 15 percent the speed of light. Space-time distortions radiate away orbital energy and cause the binary to contract quickly. As the two black holes near each other, they merge into a single black hole that settles into its \"ringdown\" phase, where the final gravitational waves are emitted. For the 2015 LIGO detection, these events played out in little more than a quarter of a second. This simulation was performed on the Pleiades supercomputer at NASA's Ames Research Center. At maximum resolution this visualization is 8192x8192 pixels in size.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. 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Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 8192, "height": 8192, "pixels": 67108864 } }, { "id": 230700, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396090, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/Merging_BH_Gravitational_Wave_4k_Square_ProRes.mov", "filename": "Merging_BH_Gravitational_Wave_4k_Square_ProRes.mov", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "This visualization shows gravitational waves emitted by two black holes (black spheres) of nearly equal mass as they spiral together and merge. Yellow structures near the black holes illustrate the strong curvature of space-time in the region. Orange ripples represent distortions of space-time caused by the rapidly orbiting masses. These distortions spread out and weaken, ultimately becoming gravitational waves (purple). The merger timescale depends on the masses of the black holes. For a system containing black holes with about 30 times the sun’s mass, similar to the one detected by LIGO in 2015, the orbital period at the start of the movie is just 65 milliseconds, with the black holes moving at about 15 percent the speed of light. Space-time distortions radiate away orbital energy and cause the binary to contract quickly. As the two black holes near each other, they merge into a single black hole that settles into its \"ringdown\" phase, where the final gravitational waves are emitted. For the 2015 LIGO detection, these events played out in little more than a quarter of a second. This simulation was performed on the Pleiades supercomputer at NASA's Ames Research Center. At maximum resolution this visualization is 8192x8192 pixels in size.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 4096, "height": 4096, "pixels": 16777216 } }, { "id": 230701, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396091, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/Merging_BH_Gravitational_Wave_4k_Square.mp4", "filename": "Merging_BH_Gravitational_Wave_4k_Square.mp4", "media_type": "Movie", "alt_text": "This visualization shows gravitational waves emitted by two black holes (black spheres) of nearly equal mass as they spiral together and merge. Yellow structures near the black holes illustrate the strong curvature of space-time in the region. Orange ripples represent distortions of space-time caused by the rapidly orbiting masses. These distortions spread out and weaken, ultimately becoming gravitational waves (purple). The merger timescale depends on the masses of the black holes. For a system containing black holes with about 30 times the sun’s mass, similar to the one detected by LIGO in 2015, the orbital period at the start of the movie is just 65 milliseconds, with the black holes moving at about 15 percent the speed of light. Space-time distortions radiate away orbital energy and cause the binary to contract quickly. As the two black holes near each other, they merge into a single black hole that settles into its \"ringdown\" phase, where the final gravitational waves are emitted. For the 2015 LIGO detection, these events played out in little more than a quarter of a second. This simulation was performed on the Pleiades supercomputer at NASA's Ames Research Center. At maximum resolution this visualization is 8192x8192 pixels in size.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 4096, "height": 4096, "pixels": 16777216 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 320795, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13197/#media_group_320795", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Animated gif of early stage of the visualization described above.

Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "items": [ { "id": 230711, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396096, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/8k_Merger_first.gif", "filename": "8k_Merger_first.gif", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Animated gif of early stage of the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 500, "height": 500, "pixels": 250000 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 320796, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13197/#media_group_320796", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Animated gif of final stage of the visualization described above.

Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "items": [ { "id": 230712, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396097, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/Merging_BH_last.gif", "filename": "Merging_BH_last.gif", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Animated gif of final stage of the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 500, "height": 500, "pixels": 250000 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 320797, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13197/#media_group_320797", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Still frame from the visualization described above.

Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "items": [ { "id": 230714, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396098, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.000956_1080.jpg", "filename": "img.000956_1080.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "pixels": 1166400 } }, { "id": 230713, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396100, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.000956.jpg", "filename": "img.000956.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 8192, "height": 8192, "pixels": 67108864 } }, { "id": 230715, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396099, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.000956_4k.jpg", "filename": "img.000956_4k.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 4096, "height": 4096, "pixels": 16777216 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 320798, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13197/#media_group_320798", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Still frame from the visualization described above.

Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "items": [ { "id": 230717, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396102, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.001946_1080.jpg", "filename": "img.001946_1080.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "pixels": 1166400 } }, { "id": 230716, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396103, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.001946.jpg", "filename": "img.001946.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 8192, "height": 8192, "pixels": 67108864 } }, { "id": 230718, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396101, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.001946_4k.jpg", "filename": "img.001946_4k.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 4096, "height": 4096, "pixels": 16777216 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 320799, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13197/#media_group_320799", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Still frame from the visualization described above.

Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "items": [ { "id": 230721, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396105, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.002294_1080.jpg", "filename": "img.002294_1080.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "pixels": 1166400 } }, { "id": 230719, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396104, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.002294.jpg", "filename": "img.002294.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 8192, "height": 8192, "pixels": 67108864 } }, { "id": 230720, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396106, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.002294_4k.jpg", "filename": "img.002294_4k.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 4096, "height": 4096, "pixels": 16777216 } } ], "extra_data": {} }, { "id": 320800, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/13197/#media_group_320800", "widget": "Single image", "title": "", "caption": "", "description": "Final still frame from the visualization described above.

Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "items": [ { "id": 230724, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396108, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.002569_1080.jpg", "filename": "img.002569_1080.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Final still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "pixels": 1166400 } }, { "id": 230722, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396107, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.002569.jpg", "filename": "img.002569.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Final still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 8192, "height": 8192, "pixels": 67108864 } }, { "id": 230723, "type": "media", "extra_data": null, "title": null, "caption": null, "instance": { "id": 396109, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a013100/a013197/img.002569_4k.jpg", "filename": "img.002569_4k.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Final still frame from the visualization described above.Credit: NASA/Bernard J. Kelly (Goddard and Univ. of Maryland Baltimore County), Chris Henze (Ames) and Tim Sandstrom (CSC Government Solutions LLC)", "width": 4096, "height": 4096, "pixels": 16777216 } } ], "extra_data": {} } ], "studio": "GMS", "funding_sources": [ "NASA Astrophysics" ], "credits": [ { "role": "Science writer", "people": [ { "name": "Francis Reddy", "employer": "University of Maryland College Park" }, { "name": "Jeanette Kazmierczak", "employer": "University of Maryland College Park" } ] }, { "role": "Visualizer", "people": [ { "name": "Christopher E. Henze", "employer": "NASA/ARC" } ] }, { "role": "Scientist", "people": [ { "name": "Bernard J. Kelly", "employer": "UMBC" } ] }, { "role": "Producer", "people": [ { "name": "Scott Wiessinger", "employer": "USRA" } ] } ], "missions": [], "series": [ "Astrophysics Simulations", "Narrated Movies" ], "tapes": [], "papers": [], "datasets": [], "nasa_science_categories": [ "Universe" ], "keywords": [ "Ast", "Astrophysics", "Black Hole", "Gravitational Waves", "Simulation", "Supercomputer" ], "recommended_pages": [], "related": [ { "id": 14132, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14132/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "Black Hole Week: Black Hole GIFs", "description": "Black Hole WeekThis page provides social media assets used during previous celebrations of Black Hole Week. Join in! Below, you'll find many GIFs to use. || ", "release_date": "2022-04-12T00:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T11:44:14.472149-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 372070, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014132/BHW_BH_GIF_Thumbnail.jpg", "filename": "BHW_BH_GIF_Thumbnail.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "Thumbnail", "width": 1280, "height": 720, "pixels": 921600 } }, { "id": 14130, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/14130/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "Fermi Searches for Gravitational Waves From Monster Black Holes", "description": "The length of a gravitational wave, or ripple in space-time, depends on its source, as shown in this infographic. Scientists need different kinds of detectors to study as much of the spectrum as possible.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab || GravWav_Infographic_MILES_10k_vFinal_print.jpg (1024x576) [158.7 KB] || GravWav_Infographic_MILES_10k_vFinal.png (10000x5625) [2.1 MB] || GravWav_Infographic_MILES_10k_vFinal.jpg (10000x5625) [4.1 MB] || GravWav_Infographic_MILES_10k_vFinal_searchweb.png (320x180) [55.8 KB] || GravWav_Infographic_MILES_10k_vFinal_thm.png (80x40) [5.4 KB] || ", "release_date": "2022-04-07T14:00:00-04:00", "update_date": "2023-05-03T11:44:14.854338-04:00", "main_image": { "id": 372018, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/vis/a010000/a014100/a014130/GravWav_Infographic_MILES_10k_vFinal_print.jpg", "filename": "GravWav_Infographic_MILES_10k_vFinal_print.jpg", "media_type": "Image", "alt_text": "The length of a gravitational wave, or ripple in space-time, depends on its source, as shown in this infographic. Scientists need different kinds of detectors to study as much of the spectrum as possible.\rCredit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab", "width": 1024, "height": 576, "pixels": 589824 } }, { "id": 12216, "url": "https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/12216/", "page_type": "Produced Video", "title": "NASA's Fermi Preps to Narrow Down Gravitational Wave Sources", "description": "Fermi's GBM saw a fading X-ray flash at nearly the same moment LIGO detected gravitational waves from a black hole merger in 2015. This movie shows how scientists can narrow down the location of the LIGO source on the assumption that the burst is connected to it. In this case, the LIGO search area is reduced by two-thirds. 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This movie shows how scientists can narrow down the location of the LIGO source on the assumption that the burst is connected to it. In this case, the LIGO search area is reduced by two-thirds. Greater improvements are possible in future detections.Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Watch this video on the NASAgovVideo YouTube channel.", "width": 1920, "height": 1080, "pixels": 2073600 } } ], "sources": [], "products": [], "newer_versions": [], "older_versions": [], "alternate_versions": [] }