(Yicai Global) Oct. 17 -- Scientists from China and several other countries announced on Oct. 16 the observation of the gravitational waves coming from the fusion of two binary neutron stars and the corresponding electromagnetic phenomena resulting from their merger, Xinhua News Agency reported.

The US Laser Interference Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) captured the signal of the gravitational wave at 8.41 a.m. US Eastern time on Aug. 17 (20.41 Beijing time). After 2 seconds, the US Fermi Gamma-Ray Space Telescope observed gamma-ray bursts from the same source.

This is the first time in human history that the gravitational wave observatories and electromagnetic wave telescopes have observed the same astrophysical events at the same time, marking a new era for multi-messenger astronomy using various means of observation.

In the Aug. 17 event, about 70 terrestrial and space telescopes around the world observed in infrared, X-ray, ultraviolet, radio waves and other bands to determine that the gravitational wave signal came from galaxy NGC 4993 in the constellation Hydra, about 130 million light years from Earth.

AST3-2, which is a survey telescope in Antarctica and China's first astronomical X-ray space telescope and several other devices were used to observe this gravitational wave event. The researchers also solved the mystery of the generation of gold, silver and other super iron elements in the universe with the aid of the gravitational wave spectrum.

Exploring neutron stars with gravitational waves can enable us to understand how gold, silver and other super iron elements form in the 'grand fireworks' of the universe," said Jin Zhiping, an associate researcher with the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing, in southeast China's Jiangsu province, who is also a member of the international team that analyzed the optical signals. Optical signal observation and spectral analysis of the gravitational wave gives conclusive evidence for the first time that the fusion of neutron stars is the main origin of gold, silver and other elements in the universe.

"The crash of binary neutron stars is like a gigantic gold factory in the universe," Jin said.