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Videos: New NASA Sonifications Listen to the Universe's Past

Tour: New NASA Sonifications Listen to the Universe's Past
(Credit: NASA/CXC/A. Hobart)
[Runtime: 03:25]

With closed-captions (at YouTube)

A quarter of a century ago, the “First Light” images from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory were released to the public. This introduction to the world of Chandra’s high resolution X-ray imaging capabilities included an unprecedented view of Cassiopeia A, the remains of an exploded star located about 11,000 light-years from Earth. Over the years, Chandra’s views of Cassiopeia A have become some of the telescope’s best-known images.

To mark the anniversary of this milestone and celebrate what discoveries are to come, new sonifications of three images — including Cassiopeia A (Cas A) — are being released. Sonification is a process that translates astronomical data into sound, similar to how these digital data are more routinely turned into images. This translation process preserves the science of the data from its original digital state but provides an alternative pathway to experiencing the data.

This sonification of Cas A features data from Chandra as well as NASA’s James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes. The scan starts at the neutron star at the center of the remnant, marked by a triangle sound, and moves outward. X-ray data from Chandra are mapped to modified piano sounds, while infrared data from JWST, which detects warmed dust embedded in the hot gas, have been assigned to various string and brass instruments. Stars that Hubble detects are played with small cymbals.

30 Doradus is one of the largest and brightest regions of star formation close to the Milky Way. This sonification again combines X-rays from Chandra with infrared data from JWST. X-rays from Chandra, which reveal gas that has been superheated by shock waves generated by the winds from massive stars, are heard as airy synthesizer sounds. Meanwhile, JWST’s infrared data show cooler gas that provides the raw ingredients for future stars.

The final member of this new sonification triumvirate is the large spiral galaxy called NGC 6872 that has two elongated arms stretching to the upper right and lower left. Just to the upper left of NGC 6872 appears another smaller spiral galaxy. These two galaxies, each of which likely has a supermassive black hole at the center, are being drawn toward one another. Chandra’s X-rays, represented in sound by a wind-like sound, show multimillion-degree gas that permeates the galaxies. Meanwhile Hubble data reveal the galaxy’s spiral arms and background stars as low drone sounds and soft plucks and cymbals.


Quick Look: New NASA Sonifications Listen to the Universe's Past
(Credit: NASA/CXC/A. Hobart)
[Runtime: 00:45]

With narration only (video above with no music)

Listen to these images in celebration of 25th anniversary of Chandra’s “First Light”.

Sonification is a process that translates data from telescopes into sounds.

These new sonifications include a supernova remnant, a nebula, and a galaxy.

The Chandra X-ray Observatory has been exploring the Universe since 1999.


Cassiopeia A (Composite)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:45]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions

This sonification of Cas A features data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory as well as NASA’s James Webb and Hubble Space Telescopes. The scan starts at the neutron star at the center of the remnant, marked by a triangle sound, and moves outward. X-ray data from Chandra are mapped to modified piano sounds, while infrared data from JWST, which detects warmed dust embedded in the hot gas, have been assigned to various string and brass instruments. Stars that Hubble detects are played with small cymbals.


Cassiopeia A (X-ray Only)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:45]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions




Cassiopeia A (Optical Only)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:45]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions




Cassiopeia A (Infrared Only)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:45]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions




30 Doradus / Tarantula Nebula (Composite)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:36]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions

30 Doradus is one of the largest and brightest regions of star formation close to the Milky Way. This sonification combines X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory with infrared data from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). X-rays from Chandra, which reveal gas that has been superheated by shock waves generated by the winds from massive stars, are heard as airy synthesizer sounds. Meanwhile, JWST’s infrared data show cooler gas that provides the raw ingredients for future stars.


30 Doradus / Tarantula Nebula (X-ray Only)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:36]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions




30 Doradus / Tarantula Nebula (Infrared Only)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:36]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions




NGC 6872 (Composite)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:34]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions

The large spiral galaxy called NGC 6872 has two elongated arms stretching to the upper right and lower left. Just to the upper left of NGC 6872 appears another smaller spiral galaxy. These two galaxies, each of which likely has a supermassive black hole at the center, are being drawn toward one another. X-rays from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory, represented in sound by a wind-like sound, show multimillion-degree gas that permeates the galaxies. Meanwhile Hubble Space Telescope data reveal the galaxy’s spiral arms and background stars as low drone sounds and soft plucks and cymbals.


NGC 6872 (X-ray Only)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:34]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions




NGC 6872 (Optical Only)
Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
[Runtime: 00:34]

arrow icon Audio Only Versions







Audio Only Versions (Downloads)


Cassiopeia A:
All .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav
X-ray Only (Chandra) .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav
Optical Only (Hubble) .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav
Infrared Only (Webb) .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav


30 Doradus / Tarantula Nebula:
All Wavelengths .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav
X-ray Only (Chandra) .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav
Infrared Only (Webb) .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav


NGC 6872:
All Wavelengths .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav
X-ray Only (Chandra) .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav
Optical Only (Hubble) .mp3 .ogg .m4r .wav



Return to: New NASA Sonifications Listen to the Universe's Past (August 26, 2024)