Gravitational Waves Earrings - LIGO Hanford

sketchfab

Celebrating the groundbreaking detection of gravitational waves, confirmed by Einstein's vision 100 years prior, we crafted a pair of earrings that mirror the data unveiled by the LIGO twin observatories. To detect these waves traveling at light speed, the two observatories were strategically positioned hundreds of miles apart in Hanford, Washington state, and Livingston, Louisiana, within the United States. Reflecting this setup, each earring represents the data from one observatory, with one on either side of the head. This specific model showcases the design based on Hanford's findings. Both earrings were developed using actual numerical data released by LIGO. We utilized a spreadsheet program to create the curves and then refined them in a vector graphics tool before finalizing their 3D shape within SketchUp Make 2016. This design achieved third place in the highly competitive 2016 i.materialise/SketchUp Jewelry Contest.