
The two neutron stars whose collision was detected on 17 August 2017 had been spiralling toward each other in a galaxy 130 million light-years away, and the aftermath of their smashup was observed by about 70 observatories on Earth and in orbit
On 17 August 2017, gravitational waves from two colliding neutron stars 130 million light-years away reached Earth — and roughly 70 observatories swung to watch. The event forged strontium, gold and platinum in real time, and rewrote how astronomy is done.















