Christopher Berry
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cplberry.bsky.social
Christopher Berry
@cplberry.bsky.social
4K followers 560 following 4.3K posts
Gravitational-wave astrophysicist. University of Glasgow Senior Lecturer. Science, education, LEGO & cake. May contain traces of nuts

🐘 https://mastodon.online/@cplberry
🐦 https://twitter.com/cplberry
📚 https://cplberry.com
Posts Replies Media Videos
cplberry.bsky.social
The final #GravitationalWave candidate of O4? #S251117dq

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~22–44 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 5.4×10^6 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🦉🥐🏔️

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 1,700 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 2.2 Gpc.
November 18, 2025 at 1:11 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Last night's #GravitationalWave candidate #S251116en

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~22–44 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 24,000 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🦆🦆🎀

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Initial sky localiation. 90% area 790 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 1.7 Gpc.
November 17, 2025 at 9:40 AM
cplberry.bsky.social
Primarily from the amplitude of the signal. If you would like to know more about how information is encoded in the signal, here is an infographic I helped to make a few years ago

From @ligomagazine.bsky.social ligo.org/wp-content/u...
The waveform explained infographic It explains how the amplitude is related to the distance to the source. Having twice the distance makes the signal half as loud. The amplitude also depends on the position on the sky relative to the detectors. We are most sensitive to sources directly above or below the detectors.
November 13, 2025 at 2:44 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Oo! Interesting #GravitationalWave candidate #S251112cm potentially from a *subsolar* mass source

If real, the source is probably has chirp mass ~0.1–0.87 solar masses

False alarm rate 1 in 6.2 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 📏🍬

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 1,200 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 96 Mpc.
November 12, 2025 at 6:29 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
An evening stroll #GravitationalWave candidate #S251108fi

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~11–44 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 24000 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🦢🎼⛄

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Initial sky localization. 90% area is 1,500 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 3.5 Gpc.
November 8, 2025 at 8:55 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
#GravitationalWave candidate #S251108dn

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~5.5–11 solar masses). A glitch in Livingston may impact analysis

False alarm rate 1 in 3.3 10^9 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🧙🚧🍕

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 700 sq deg.
November 8, 2025 at 12:56 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Celebrate Wednesday with #GravitationalWave candidate #S251105aj

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~22–44 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 39000 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🟦🍰🦢

[🧪🔭⚛️]
Initial sky localization. 90% area 720 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 2.1 Gpc.
November 5, 2025 at 1:58 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
#GravitationalWave candidate #S251103f

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~11–22 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 7.6×10^5 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🦆🍁🍦

[🧪🔭⚛️]
Initial sky localization. 90% area 980 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 2.2 Gpc.
November 4, 2025 at 11:00 AM
cplberry.bsky.social
Halloween #GravitationalWave candidate #S251031cq

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~22–44 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 45 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 👻🍫

[🧪🔭⚛️]
Initial sky localization. 90% area 170 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 2.1 Gpc.
October 31, 2025 at 9:10 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Snoozy-time #GravitationalWave candidate #S251026bn

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~5.5–11 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 6600 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42... gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🍨🐑🍁

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Updated sky localization. 90% area 740 sq deg. Updated three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 1.2 Gpc.
October 27, 2025 at 8:53 AM
cplberry.bsky.social
Celebrate Diwali with #GravitationalWave candidate #S251021u

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~22–88 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 14 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🎆🐍

[🧪🔭⚛️]
Initial sky localization. 90% area 3,700 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 7.2 Gpc.
October 21, 2025 at 8:56 AM
cplberry.bsky.social
My afternoon nap interrupted by #GravitationalWave candidate #S251018bi

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~22–88 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 100 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🐌🍦🍂

[🧪🔭⚛️]
Initial sky localization. 90% area 1,500 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 5.5 Gpc.
October 18, 2025 at 4:46 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
This afternoon's #GravitationalWave candidate #S251014cn

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~11–22 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 100 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🍪🧋🦆

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 230 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 610 Mpc.
October 14, 2025 at 3:08 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Catching up with #GravitationalWave candidate #S251013x

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~22–88 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 2.1 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42... gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🐶🐞

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Updated sky localization. 90% 1,400 sq deg. Updated three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 3.8 Gpc.
October 13, 2025 at 6:55 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Celebrate the full moon with #GravitationalWave candidate #S251006dd

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~5.5–11 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 5.9 10^7 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🐇🏔️🥮

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 110 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 710 Mpc.
October 7, 2025 at 10:27 AM
cplberry.bsky.social
Overnight #GravitationalWave candidate #S250929c

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~11–44 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 1.3 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🐈‍⬛

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 2,200 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 4.4 Gpc.
September 29, 2025 at 9:37 AM
cplberry.bsky.social
Second #GravitationalWave candidate of the day #S250927cy

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~22–44 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 0.6 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🍟

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 1,600 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 4.1 Gpc.
September 27, 2025 at 7:42 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Saturday #GravitationalWave candidate #/S250927ck

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~44–88 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 1.0 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/42...
Rating 🖌️

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 180 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 4.3 Gpc.
September 27, 2025 at 5:29 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Things I Google after eating perhaps one too many biscuits:

arxiv.org/abs/2509.18903
arXiv screenshot for a preprint entitled: "Can you fall into a McVittie black hole? Will you survive?" by Brien C. Nolan arXiv:2509.18903 [gr-qc]
September 24, 2025 at 12:03 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Yesterday's #GravitationalWave candidate #S250917aq

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~5.5–11 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 2.9×10^5 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/41... gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/41...
Rating 🍰🐑🦢

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Updated sky localization. 90% area 5216 sq deg. Updated three-dimensional sky localization. Distance around 700 Mpc.
September 18, 2025 at 8:54 AM
cplberry.bsky.social
Friday #GravitationalWave candidate #S250912f

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~44–88 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 per 1.1×10^5 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/41... gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/41...
Rating 🐠🍫🐚

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Updated sky localization. 90% area 300 sq deg. Updated three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 2.7 Gpc.
September 12, 2025 at 3:38 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Latest #GravitationalWave candidate #S250911ac

If real, the source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~5.5–11 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 per 5.3 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/41... gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/41...
Rating 🍨🦒

[🧪🔭⚛️]
Updated sky localization. 90% area 950 sq deg. Updated three-dimensional volume localization. Distance 1.1 Gpc.
September 11, 2025 at 2:04 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
It is! You might enjoy this infographic explaining how the source properties are encoded in a signal

📊: ligo.org/wp-content/u...
Infographic illustrating different features of a gravitational-wave signal and what they tell us about the source
September 8, 2025 at 7:48 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Start the week with #GravitationalWave candidate #S250908y

If real, its source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~5.5–11 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 280 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/41...
Rating 🦔☕🐤

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Initial sky localization. 90% area 11,000 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 1.3 Gpc.
September 8, 2025 at 4:10 PM
cplberry.bsky.social
Catching up on #GravitationalWave candidate #S250906ca

If real, its source is probably a binary black hole (chirp mass ~5.5–11 solar masses)

False alarm rate 1 in 2.9×10^5 yr
GraceDB gracedb.ligo.org/superevents/...
GCN gcn.nasa.gov/circulars/41...
Rating 🐻🌌🍧

[🧪🔭⚛️]
Initial sky localization. 90% area 520 sq deg. Initial three-dimensional volume localization. Distance around 1.2 Gpc.
September 8, 2025 at 2:16 AM