LIGO

[Christopher K.]

The Livingston division of LIGO is pictured on page 33 of the August 2010 Sky & Telescope in an article concerning the "Double Pulsar", J0737-3039. Discovered seven years ago in Canis Major, it's the only known instance of two active radio pulsars orbiting each other.

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is trying to detect "gravitational waves" and measure the waves. The second half of the operation is in Hanford, in Washington state.

Gravitational waves are theoretical disturbances in the fabric of space and time. The waves LIGO could detect would have to be produced by violent events like the collision of two black holes or shockwaves from the a supernova explosion. Albert Einstein predicted the existence of the waves in his General Theory of Relativity (1916). The waves have yet to be proven.

LIGO background at:
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/LIGO_web/PR ... facts.html

On the Double Pulsar:
http://www.nrao.edu/pr/2008/doublepulsar/

Discovering Facility Parkes Observatory:
http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/

LIGO is funded by the National Science Foundation.

[Christopher K.]

This summer at Hanford, testing of a four-kilometer arm will take place. This fall in Livingston, the "Advanced LIGO" laser will be tested.

The interferometers split a laser into two beams and send them through vacuum tubes at a right angle to each other. The original beam is modified in the "corner station" (the junction of the two vaccuum tube tunnels) to produce a beam of high uniformity. The vacuum chambers are 4 kilometers long, made of steel tubes 1.3 meters in diameter and 3 millimeters thick. Mirrors are suspended on wires at the end stations.

[Christopher K.]

LIGO's next free public open house is on Saturday, 20 September from 1pm to 5pm. The topic is "Fall into Science".

On Friday 26 September at 7:30pm, Dr. Amber Stuver will return to the Highland Road Park Observatory to give the presentation entitled "LIGO--The Fantastic Search". The program is free and for ages fourteen and older.

Dr. Stuver's webpage:
http://www.livingligo.org/

[Christopher K.]

The new film LIGO Generations will premiere this week. The twenty-minute film discusses the upgrades, termed "Advanced LIGO", to the Walker facility and its sister facility in Hanford, Washington; the two together form a single gravitational-wave observatory.

The two showtimes are...
Wednesday, 25 March = 7pm at the LASM
Thursday, 26 March = 5pm in Room 130 of Nicholson Hall, LSU

The presentations will include commentary and question-fielding from Professors Marco Cavaglia, Joseph Giaime and Gabriela González. LIGO Science Education Center Leader William Katzman and postdoctoral scholar Annmaria Effler. This film was funded by the National Science Foundation, via the University of Mississippi.

More information:
http://www.phys.lsu.edu/newwebsite/down ... cement.pdf

[Christopher K.]

LIGO will exhibit at the Highland Road Park Observatory on Saturday, 25 April from 3pm to 7pm. The exhibit is part of the International Astronomy Day celebration at HRPO. The event is free admission.

[Christopher K.]

BRAS members will assist LIGO personnel during their public open house on Saturday 18 July beginning at 1pm. I'm not sure about the equipment being brought but there may be solar viewing.

[Christopher K.]

BRAS officials during their visit to LIGO is July recognized Science Academy Galactic Cadet Ephraim C. for his Astronomical League-winning essay.

On 4 September Amber Stuver will return for her talk "LIGO--The Fantastic Search". The lecture will be 7:30pm at the Highland Road Park Observatory; it is free-of-charge to attend and is for a general adult audience.

LIGO has a new address:
https://ligo.caltech.edu/LA/

[Christopher K.]

Tonight at 7pm, Dr. Richard Orom of the California Institute of Technology will speak during the BRAS meeting at the Highland Road Park Observatory.Dr. Oram is associated with the LIGO project.

The next public open house at LIGO will be Saturday, 21 November from 1pm to 5pm. The theme will be "Center of Gravity".

[fred8615]

LIGO *may* have found something:

http://www.alternet.org/news-amp-politi ... ave-signal

Stay tuned.

[Tom]

A well balanced article from NATURE, the only reliable science news source I could find on the scuttlebutt in the media. It is dated from yesterday so it is fairly recent. It is still too early to tell though and I think a lot of people (scientists included) are grandstanding this information. I have been to LIGO Livingston's and Hanford's websites, twitter feed, and Facebook pages, and there is nothing about this news on any of these forums I could find. They are apparently waiting for confirmation, as they should. This won't come about though for the next few weeks and the rumors will only become more conflicting as time wears on until this is put to bed on way or the other.

http://www.nature.com/news/gravitationa ... ve-1.19161