Universe  ID: 20367

Gravitational Wave

Animations by Krystofer Kim Released on April 28, 2022
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Two black holes orbit around each other and generate space-time ripples called gravitational waves in this animation. As the black holes get closer, the waves increase in frequency. Eventually, the event horizons merge into a peanut-shaped object, generating one very high-frequency wave. Within a rotation, the black holes merge completely. One lower-frequency wave, called the ring down, ripples out after the merger.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

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A short, loopable segment of the above.

Credit: NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

Animation Credits

Krystofer Kim (KBRwyle): Lead Animator
Scott Wiessinger (KBRwyle): Lead Producer
Jeanette Kazmierczak (University of Maryland College Park): Lead Science Writer
James Ira Thorpe (NASA/GSFC): Scientist
Bernard J. Kelly (UMBC): Scientist
Please give credit for this item to:
NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center Conceptual Image Lab

Short URL to share this page:
https://svs.gsfc.nasa.gov/20367

Keywords:
SVS >> Black Hole Merger
NASA Science >> Universe
SVS >> Binary
SVS >> Gravitational Waves
SVS >> Astrophysics
SVS >> Black Hole