First detection of unequal mass binary merger Mass asymmetry generated detectable signal from higher multipoles

On April 12, 2019, just after 11:00 AM (IST), the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration observed gravitational waves produced by the inspiral and merger of two black holes.

This event, dubbed GW190412, was observed with both LIGO detectors (at Hanford, Washington and in Livingston, Louisiana USA) as well as the Virgo detector (located in Cascina, Italy).

Scientists from several Indian research institutes participated in the analysis and made key contributions to this discovery.