Free Astronomy Magazine July-August 2023

19 JULY-AUGUST 2023 ASTRO PUBLISHING scale up the study of cosmic events with both gravitational waves and visible light,” says Paul Groot of Rad- boud University in the Netherlands, the project’s Principal Investigator. “The combination of the two tells us much more about these events than just one or the other.” By detecting both gravitational waves and their visible counterparts, astronomers can confirm the nature of gravita- tional-wave sources and determine their precise locations. Using visible light also allows for detailed obser- vations of the processes that occur in these mergers, such as the forma- tion of heavy elements like gold and platinum. T he BlackGEM array, consisting of three new telescopes located at La Silla Observatory, has begun op- erations. This photograph shows the three open domes of the BlackGEM telescopes under a stunning night sky a La Silla. Other telescopes are visible in the background. [S. Bloe- men (Radboud University)/ESO]