Live webcasts from gravitational wave observatories
around the world - April 3rd/4th, 2009

webcast site
http://www.100hoursofastronomy.org/
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/100-hours-of-astronomy

AIGO, GEO600, LIGO, TAMA and Virgo participate in ESO's
"Around the World in 80 Telescopes"


"Around the World in 80 Telescopes" is a live 24-hour webcast organized by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) as part of "100 hours of Astronomy" celebrations to mark the International Year of Astronomy 2009. This unique webcast will visit, by night and by day, some of the most advanced astronomical observatories around the globe - including the worldwide network of gravitational wave observatories and AIGO the Australian prototype gravitational wave detector. With these giant laser interferometers, researchers monitor the universe in the unique spectrum of gravitational waves - for the first time, they are "listening" to the universe and will discover unknown and distant regions. By observing gravitational waves - tiny ripples in space-time - we will gain unique insights into black holes, neutron stars and the Big Bang.

During the webcast on-site researchers at each gravitational wave observatory will explain how they are listening to the universe and introduce you to the very sophisticated technology that is needed to measure tiny gravitational wave signals: vacuum tubes, high powered lasers, mirror suspensions, absorption free optics, laser stabilization, noise reduction etc.

The webcast: 3 April 2009, 9:00 UT (Universal Time/GMT) to 4 April 2009, 09:00 UT

Stations of the tour through gravitational wave observatories and further information:
GEO600: April 3rd, 12:20 UT, British-German project near Hanover, Germany.
Virgo: April 3rd, 16:20 UT, Dutch-French-Italian Virgo project near Pisa, Italy.
LIGO: April 3rd, 20:00 UT, US project in Hanford/Washington and Livingston/Louisiana.
AIGO: April 4, 01:20 UT, Australian project in Gingin.
TAMA: April 4, 06:00 UT, Japanese project in Tokyo.
"Around the World in 80 Telescopes" is organised by ESO, the European Southern Observatory, from its HQ in Garching, Germany.

Further information:
For AIGO: David Blair, Tel.: +61 409687703, Haixing Miao Tel.: +61 895757591, dgb_at_cyllene.uwa.edu.au
For GEO600: Susanne Milde, Tel.: +49 (0)331 583 93 55, milde_at_mildemarketing.de
For LIGO: Kathy Svitil, Tel.: +1 (0) 626 395-8022, ksvitil_at_caltech.edu
For Virgo/EGO: Carlo Bradaschia, Tel.: +39 339 6722355, carlo.bradaschia_at_pi.infn.it
For TAMA: Koji Arai, Tel.: +81 422 34 3662, koji.arai_at_nao.ac.jp

TAMA Project Office / contact: webmaster_at_gravity.mtk.nao.ac.jp   Last updated 2009/4/2