At a cosmic event that contradicts current scientific understanding, astronomers have confirmed the largest black hole merger ever recorded.
Using Gravitational Waves – Ripples of the Fabric in Space Time – The Ligo-Virgo-Kagra (LVK) collaboration caused two giant black holes to crash together to form a single, ultra-infiltrating entity across 225 times the mass of the sun.
This record-breaking discovery not only challenges existing theories about how black holes form and evolve, but also shows a major advance in the astronomy of gravitational waves.
First detected on November 23, 2023 and called GW231123, this signal is reconstructing the way scientists think about the most extreme objects in the universe.
This data was captured by a Ligo detector funded by the National Science Foundation of Hanford and Livingston, and made significant contributions from Virgo in Italy and Kagura in Japan.
Global Collaboration Power Discovery
The Ligo-Virgo-Kagra Collaboration is a large-scale international initiative involving over 2,000 scientists from over 300 institutions around the world.
Each observation deck offers unique technical strength.
Operated by Caltech and MIT, Ligo is supported by US NSF and international partners. Virgo in Italy is run by a European Gravity Observatory and funded by European research institutes. Kagura in Japan is organized by the Institute of Cosmic Ray Research at the University of Tokyo and is jointly managed by major Japanese scientific institutions.
These facilities form globally distributed observatory stations that can triangulate space events with exceptional accuracy.
Break the boundaries of stellar evolution
What particularly baffles GW231123 is its pure scale, as well as the intense spins of the merged black holes.
Rapid rotation and unusually high mass suggest a complex formation history, including previous black holes mergers, an evolutionary pathway that current models do not readily explain.
Traditional theories of stellar evolution predict the upper limit of a mass of black holes formed from a dying star.
These new observations push far beyond these limitations and convince astrophysicists to rethink how such super-large objects arise.
Theories involving hierarchical mergers – fusions of successive collisions and small black holes – have acquired traction as a possible explanation.
Gravity wave detection at its limit
The GW231123 not only sets new benchmarks of mass, but also promotes the technical and analytical limitations of the astronomy of gravitational waves.
Accurate interpretation of the signal required sophisticated modeling to explain the chaotic behavior of spinning black holes. This is a feat that was impossible a few years ago.
This event demonstrates the extraordinary capabilities of next-generation gravitational wave detectors. The fourth observation run, which began in May 2023, features the longest and most sensitive observation campaign of all time.
The results of the first half of this run are expected to be released later this summer, with more discoveries expected until 2026.
A new era of black hole astronomy
GW231123 exceeds former heavyweight record holder GW190521 and contains black holes combined with 140 solar masses.
Since its first detection in 2015, more than 100 black hole mergers have now been catalogued. Each new event adds an important part to the space puzzle.
This particular black merger is a turning point, providing new insight into the life cycle of giant celestial bodies and the nature of space-time itself.
It highlights the need for an evolving theoretical framework and a more sophisticated model of how black holes form, grow and interact.
Open data and deeper insights
LVK Collaboration continues to support open science by releasing data after publication, allowing for accelerating broader scientific analysis and discovery.
GW231123 will be featured this week at the GR-Amaldi 2025 conference in Glasgow. There, researchers discuss the deeper implications of this discovery.
As gravitational wave astronomical observatory becomes more sensitive and analytical methods become more refined, we can expect even more insight into the universe’s most extremes.
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