LIGO
Gravitational wave observatory site
Summary
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory designed to detect cosmic gravitational waves. Prior to LIGO, all data about the universe had come in the form of light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation, from limited direct exploration on relatively nearby Solar System objects such as the Moon, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and their moons, asteroids etc., and from high energy cosmic particles. Initially, two large observatories were built in the United States with the aim of detecting gravitational waves by laser interferometry. Two additional, smaller gravitational wave observatories are now operational in Japan (KAGRA) and Italy (Virgo). The two LIGO observatories use mirrors spaced 4 kilometres (13,000 ft) apart to measure changes in length—over an effective span of 1,120 kilometres (700 mi)—of less than one ten-thousandth the charge diameter of a proton.
Originally created by 129.239.26.4
9/6/2002, 10:48:01 PM
Modified
5/31/2026, 9:40:11 PM
Recent revisions
/* top */Fixed grammar
/* Detections */ Changed the time reference into an actual timezone.
grammar
/* Background */
/* Observations */[[WP:CE]] (Move hatnote to immediately below header.)
/* Operation */[[WP:CE]] (Move period before ref)
Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Awawwaaawwě|Awawwaaawwě]] ([[User talk:Awawwaaawwě|talk]]): not providing a [[WP:RS|reliable source]] ([[WP:CITE]], [[WP:RS]]) ([[WP:HG|HG]]) (3.4.14)
Reverted edits by [[Special:Contributions/Awawwaaawwě|Awawwaaawwě]] ([[User talk:Awawwaaawwě|talk]]) ([[WP:HG|HG]]) (3.4.14)
removed phrase 'and to develop gravitational-wave observations as an astronomical tool' because it's redundant and doesn't make sense
/* Observations */ updated future observing run plans
/* Advanced LIGO */ fix ref
/* Advanced LIGO */ fix ref
Rescuing 75 sources and tagging 0 as dead.) #IABot (v2.0.9.5
/* Advanced LIGO */ add ref
/* top */ add conversion templates
[[Wikipedia:MOSNUMscript|script]]-assisted date audit and style fixes per [[MOS:NUM]]; using mdy to align with [[MOS:DATERET]] for original article and [[MOS:DATETIES]] for US instrument
