Space & Astronomy

NASA 'sonification' video is like hearing the music of the universe

By T.K. Randall
September 5, 2024 ·  5 comments

One of the three images used for the sonification. Image Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO et al. NASA is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Chandra X-ray Observatory this week by publishing a 'sonification' of images recorded by the telescope of Cassiopeia A - the remains of an exploded star situated 11,000 light years away.

It also happened to be the subject of some of the observatory's first ever images.

"Sonification is a process that translates astronomical data into sound, similar to how digital data are more routinely turned into images," NASA explained.

"This translation process preserves the science of the data from its original digital state but provides an alternative pathway to experiencing the data."The resulting video, which you can view (and listen to) below, is nothing if not wondrous - offering the almost transcendental experience of listening to a part of cosmos manifested as music.

"This sonification of Cas A features data from Chandra as well as NASA's James Webb, Hubble, and retired Spitzer space telescopes," the space agency added.

"The scan starts at the neutron star at the center of the remnant, marked by a triangle sound, and moves outward."


Source: NASA.gov | Comments (5)

Tags: Universe