In Images: The Amazing Discovery of a Neutron-Star Crash, Gravitational Waves & More

Neutron Stars Collide

T .Dietrich/S. Ossokine/H. Pfeiffer/A. Buonanno/Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics/BAM collaboration

This numerical simulation depicts two inspiraling and merging neutron stars, highlighting the gravitational waves emitted during the merger.

Density Distribution

T .Dietrich/S. Ossokine/H. Pfeiffer/A. Buonanno/Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics/BAM collaboration

A numerical simulation depicts two merging neutron stars, highlighting their density distribution. Higher density (the interior of the neutron stars) is shown in blue, while lower density (crust of the neutron stars) is shown in red.

Illustration of Kilonova & Gravitational Waves

Fermilab

This is an artist's rendition of colliding neutron stars creating gravitational waves and a kilonova.

Neutron Stars Merge

NASA

An artists' rendition of two neutron stars merging. In the top panel, two stars are starting to spiral together while emitting gravitational waves. In the bottom panel, the collision has occurred and the system is emitting electromagnetic radiation.

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