Listen to the strange sounds coming from galaxies and stars

 

Sonification Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)

In a groundbreaking fusion of science and art, NASA has shared new sonifications - the process of converting invisible digital data captured by space telescopes into audible experiences - of some galaxies and stars including R Aquarii, Stephan's Quintet and Messier 104.

R Aquarii, a system composed of a white dwarf and a red giant in mutual orbit, has long fascinated astronomers with its intricate dynamics. To bring this enigmatic celestial dance to life, NASA utilized data from its Chandra X-ray Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble Space Telescope, and Spitzer Space Telescope.

In the above sonification, layers of sound harmoniously blend to represent specific wavelengths of light detected by each telescope, resulting in a symphony of cosmic proportions. As the auditory journey unfolds, listeners embark on a radar-like scan of the composite visual image, commencing from the 12 o'clock position in a clockwise direction. The volume of the soundscape corresponds to the brightness of sources in Hubble's visible light and Chandra's X-ray image, while the distance from the center dictates the pitch of the musical notes, with higher tones indicating greater distances.

The distinctive diffraction spikes - artifacts stemming from the bright central star - manifest as deep thuds emanating from the four corners of the composition. The composition's captivating melody is influenced by the ribbon-like arcs captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. These arcs undulate in a rising and falling pattern, evoking the soothing resonance of singing bowls - a metal instrument renowned for its therapeutic tones when struck with a mallet.

In contrast, the Chandra data, rendered as part of the sonification, resonate as a synthetic and windy purr, conjuring an otherworldly ambiance that adds depth to the cosmic symphony.

Next up, is the sonification of Stephan’s Quintet - four galaxies move around each other, held together by gravity, while a fifth galaxy sits in the frame but is actually at a much different distance. A visual image of this galaxy group contains infrared light from Webb (red, orange, yellow, green, and blue) with additional data from Spitzer (red, green, and blue) and X-ray light from Chandra (light blue).

Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)

The background galaxies and foreground stars detected by Webb are mapped to different notes on a synthetic glass marimba while stars with diffraction spikes are played as crash symbols. The galaxies themselves are heard as smoothly changing frequencies as the scan passes over them. The X-rays from Chandra are represented by a synthetic string sound.

Lastly, the sonification of Messier 104 or M104 commences with Spitzer's infrared view, which exposes a prominent ring of dust encircling the galaxy that pierces through the obscuring dust in Hubble's optical light image. Simultaneously, the Chandra X-ray observations expose not only the presence of hot gas pervading the galaxy but also a myriad of point sources. These points of light represent a diverse mixture of objects within M104 and distant quasars lurking in the background. The Chandra data reveal a diffuse X-ray emission stretching an astounding 60,000 light-years from M104's center, a distance that exceeds the galaxy's own span of 50,000 light-years.