Public talk (in German) “Gravitational-wave astronomy: Findings and mysteries after more than 300 observations”
Public talk
- Date: Apr 15, 2026
- Time: 07:00 PM - 08:30 PM (Local Time Germany)
- Speaker: Frank Ohme
- Location: Astronomische Vereinigung Vulkaneifel am Hohen List e.V., Im Staudchen 1, 56767 Höchstberg
- Host: Astronomische Vereinigung Vulkaneifel am Hohen List e.V.
- Contact: kontakt@hoher-list.de
- Topic: Discussion and debate formats, lectures
Since September 14, 2015, we have been exploring a previously unknown side of the universe with the help of ripples in spacetime: gravitational waves. The major gravitational-wave observatories – LIGO, Virgo, and, more recently, KAGRA – have detected several hundred signals during four observing runs, released by the orbiting and merging of various binary systems. The results are astonishing: the universe is full of black holes, which come in various sizes and tell different stories of their origins. The dance of neutron stars has also already been observed.
The talk offers insights into how complex simulations and analyses using supercomputers make it possible to decipher subtle details in signals that would otherwise be heavily influenced by noise. Only through careful and meticulous interpretation of the data can we gradually come to understand the structure and evolution of the universe.