GW150914 and gravitational-wave astronomy

Abstract

On September 14, 2015, the first detection of gravitational waves at the advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational- Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors, in the United States, marked the beginning of “gravitational-wave astronomy”, that opens a new window looking into the violent sides of our Universe. It is very promising that at other wavelengths detections of gravitational waves with various space-based and ground-based observatories will show up in the near future of this century. These observatories include space-based laser interferometer antennas, pulsar timing arrays, cosmic microwave background satellites, etc.