Virgo is a large-scale interferometric gravitational wave detector located near Pisa, Italy. It uses a modified Michelson interferometer with three-kilometer-long Fabry-Perot cavity arms to measure infinitesimal changes in spacetime caused by passing gravitational waves. The facility operates in tandem with the LIGO observatories to triangulate the source of cosmic events.
Heard on the job
A neutron star merger was localized precisely because Virgo was online alongside the twin LIGO detectors.
Insider tip
Virgo uses extremely high-power continuous-wave lasers and suspended optics to achieve its required sensitivity.