Friday, September 4, 2026
Science

The biggest black hole merger ever observed could be less massive than it appears

Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime created when pairs of black holes spiral into each other and eventually merge. But if this ripple has been warped by another massive object on its way to Earth, a new analysis suggests that these black holes might appear far larger than they really are.

The biggest black hole merger ever observed could be less massive than it appears
Image: Phys.org
Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime created when pairs of black holes spiral into each other and eventually merge. But if this ripple has been warped by another massive object on its way to Earth, a new analysis suggests that these black holes might appear far larger than they really are.

Originally published at Phys.org

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