The discovery of gravitational waves by the international collaboration LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory)/Virgo on the one hand is a triumphant confirmation of the general theory of relativity, and on the other it confirms the general fundamental ideas on the nuclear evolution of the Universe baryon matter in binary stars. LIGO/Virgo may turn out to be the first experiment in the history of physics to detect two physical entities, gravitational waves and black holes.

Keywords: gravitational waves, black holes, GW150914, Scenario Machine, robotic observatories, telescope robot MASTER PACS: 04.30.−w, 95.85.Sz, 97.80.−d (all) DOI: 10.3367/UFNe.2016.03.037759 URL: https://ufn.ru/en/articles/2016/9/i/ 000391228000009 2-s2.0-85006134373 2016PhyU...59..918L Citation: Lipunov V M "Astrophysical sense of the discovery of gravitational waves" Phys. Usp. 59 918–928 (2016) BibTexBibNote ® (generic)BibNote ® (RIS)MedlineRefWorks Received: 2nd, March 2016, accepted: 2nd, March 2016 Оригинал: Липунов В М «Астрофизический смысл открытия гравитационных волн» УФН 186 1011–1022 (2016); DOI: 10.3367/UFNr.2016.03.037759