Gravitational Waves

Bright flashes of lensed starlight guide the way more

The spin-off VM Photonics GmbH delivers ultra-stable and 10 times purer laser light for high-precision optical measurements more

Two gravitational wave signals explain why the heavier black holes of the causal pairs did not originate in a stellar explosion more

The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration and the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics celebrate the anniversary and present new, exciting results more

Neural network registers gravitational wave signal from neutron star collisions early on and shows telescopes where to find the subsequent kilonova explosion in the sky more

When a black hole and a neutron star merge more

International research team models the different signatures of a kilonova explosion simultaneously for the first time more

Precise as a clock: pulsars in the Milky Way form large-scale observatory for gravitational waves more

Large-scale observational campaign provides new insights into an assumed black hole binary at the centre of the active galaxy OJ 287 more

Researchers observe how a pair of black holes bend the jet in the active galaxy OJ 287 more

This cosmic event was also observed in visible light and provides an explanation for gamma-ray bursts more

The cosmic ripples were not only observed by the two Ligo observatories in the USA, but also the Italian detector Virgo more

LIGO observes a signal, which was once again discovered at the Albert Einstein Institute in Hannover more

Researchers observe a signal originating from two merging black holes of about 14 and 8 solar masses more

How researchers succeed in tracking down gravitational waves more

For the first time, scientists have observed ripples in the fabric of spacetime called gravitational waves, arriving at the earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe. This confirms a major prediction of Albert Einstein’s 1915 general theory of relativity and opens an unprecedented new window onto the cosmos. more

Interview with Max Planck Directors Bruce Allen, Alessandra Buonanno and Karsten Danzmann more

After decades of intensive preparations, the researchers achieved their goal; on 14 September 2015 two detectors known as Advanced LIGO finally managed to ensnare gravitational waves more

In the 1970s, Max Planck scientists started working in the research field of gravitational waves more

Today, we cannot imagine modern astrophysics without the general theory of relativity: no matter if it's black holes, quasars, or gravitational lenses – it plays an important role in all these fields.  And when researchers try to track down gravitational waves, they are trying to confirm one of Einstein's predictions. The eventful history of the most famous equation of the century. more

Albert Einstein predicted their existence in the last century, but thought it would be impossible to discover them. Astronomers are now looking for them, nevertheless: gravitational waves. more