Year of the Comet
Comet C/2011 L4 (PANSTARRS)

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Comet C/2012 S1 (ISON)

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Ask Astro

Published: August 23, 2010
Gravity waves from colliding black holes
Gravity waves radiate through space in this computer visualization of the process. Although gravitational waves have not yet been seen, relativity theory suggests they exist, and facilities around the world are looking for them.
Photo by Werner Benger, Zuse-Institut Berlin and Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik
Gravitational waves are fluctuations of space-time caused by masses in motion. Models of the Big Bang and inflation (a brief period of hyperexpansion) predict that the dynamics of the expanding universe generated primordial gravitational waves. Fortunately, scientists have several prospects for detecting them.
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