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New NASA Sonifications Listen to the Universe's Past

Sonifications of three images have been released to mark the 25th anniversary of Chandra’s "First Light" image. For Cassiopeia A, which was one of the first objects observed by Chandra, X-ray data from Chandra and infrared data from Webb have been translated into sounds. The second image in the sonification trio, 30 Doradus, also contains Chandra and Webb data. NGC 6872 contains data from Chandra as well as an optical image from Hubble. Each of these datasets have been mapped to notes and sounds based on properties observed by these telescopes.

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sonify9-30dor.mp4

Summary: Experience the Tarantula Nebula (30 Doradus) through a unique sonification, where astronomical data from Chandra and James Webb Space Telescope are translated into music. A vertical line sweeps across the nebula, triggering sounds based on the elements it encounters, with higher positions in the frame resulting in higher pitches.

This video presents a sonification of 30 Doradus, also known as the Tarantula Nebula, a prominent star-forming region. The stunning visual, a composite of X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and infrared data from the James Webb Space Telescope, depicts a field of stars partially hidden by a red nebula of cosmic gas and dust, with bright blue X-ray clouds. A central break in the nebula, encircled by wispy white clouds, reveals a brilliant star and the cluster's core.

The sonification process involves a vertical line moving from left to right across the image. As this line encounters different elements within the nebula, it triggers musical sounds. The pitch of the sound is determined by the element's vertical position in the frame – the higher the element, the higher the pitch. Bright blue X-ray light detected by Chandra is translated into notes by an airy synthesizer. The red nebula, observed by JWST's infrared capabilities, is rendered with soft, low musical pitches, while the wispy white clouds produce harsh, high-frequency, wind-like sounds. Individual stars are played on a piano-like synthesizer, with percussion triangles marking diffraction spikes, and a rain-stick effect representing stars within the central cluster. All these auditory elements are layered to create a rich and immersive sonic experience of this celestial wonder.

Playback guide

1. startTime: 0:00 endTime: 0:03 label: Initial view of the 30 Doradus nebula with the vertical scan line beginning its movement from the left edge of the screen, accompanied by soft, ambient space sounds. 2. startTime: 0:03 endTime: 0:07 label: The scan line progresses across regions of less dense gas and scattered stars. As it moves, sparse, higher-pitched synthesizer notes and faint percussive sounds are triggered. 3. startTime: 0:07 endTime: 0:12 label: The scan line passes through a dense, reddish-orange nebula and some brighter stars. This triggers a more complex and melodic sequence of lower-pitched notes and richer harmonies from the airy synthesizer, mixed with piano-like star sounds and occasional triangle chimes. 4. startTime: 0:12 endTime: 0:19 label: The scan line moves through the brilliant blue central star cluster of 30 Doradus and dense white wisps. The sounds become more intense, with distinct, bright piano-like notes for stars, a rain-stick effect for the cluster, and harsh, wind-like high-frequency sounds for the wispy clouds. The overall musical complexity reaches its peak. 5. startTime: 0:19 endTime: 0:25 label: The scan line continues into the right side of the nebula, featuring more scattered stars and red gas. The intensity of the sounds gradually diminishes, returning to a blend of lower synthesizer tones, piano notes, and soft percussions. 6. startTime: 0:25 endTime: 0:36 label: The scan line moves towards the right edge of the screen, passing through sparser star fields and nebula remnants. The sounds become increasingly minimal, fading out as the line exits the frame and the video ends on the static image of the nebula.

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AltTextAccessibility: Chandra Release - August 26, 2024 Visual Description: Cas A, 30 Doradus, NGC 6872 Sonifications Different telescopes detect different types of light. Much of what they capture is recorded as digital data. Those data can then be translated into visuals, or even sounds. In today's release, the data from three different astronomical obse rvations are presented in collections of visualizations, and sonifications. Just as each composite visualization includes data from different sources, each comp osite sonification represents multiple data sets from different telescopes. The collections presented here include sonifications of data from different light sp ectra, and composites with all related sonifications layered into a single video . The first collection features observations of Cassiopeia A, the remains of an ex ploded star located about 11,000 light-years from Earth. The composite visualiza tion of the remaining debris field resembles a churning ball of dark blue and re d clouds, marbled and veined with purples, greens, reds, electric blues, yellows , whites, and oranges. In each of the related sonification videos, a small circl e at the center of each image expands outward. As the growing circle sweeps past different elements, a variety of sounds are triggered. The brighter the light f rom each element, the louder and higher pitched the sound. In the James Webb Spa ce Telescope visualization of Cassiopeia A, the debris field features marbled cl ouds of red, yellow, orange, green, and white. In the JWST sonification, musical instruments have been assigned to each color. Low pitched strings represent red , and high strings represent white. Low brass instruments represent yellow and o range, high brass represents blue, and woodwinds represent green. In the Chandra X-ray visualization, the brightness of the electric blue X-ray cloud is mapped to notes on a modified piano. And in the Hubble optical visualization, small cym bals called crotales chime when the expanding circle sweeps over a distant star. All of these instruments are combined in a symphonic sonification of the compos ite visuals. The second collection features observations of 30 Doradus, one of the largest an d brightest regions of star formation close to the Milky Way. In the composite v isualization, a field of stars is partially obscured by a red nebula of cosmic g as and dust, and bright blue X-ray clouds. Near the center of the visualization, a break in the nebula, ringed with wispy white clouds, reveals a brilliant glea ming star, and the central star cluster of 30 Doradus. In the related sonificati on videos, a vertical line sweeps across the images from left to right, triggeri ng musical sounds as different elements are encountered. The higher in the frame the element is, the higher the pitch of the sound. In the Chandra sonification, the mottled cloud of bright blue X-ray light is mapped to notes on an airy synt hesizer. In the James Webb Space Telescope infrared sonification, the red nebula is mapped to soft low musical pitches, and the wispy white cloud is mapped to h arsh, high frequency, wind-like sounds. Stars are played on a piano-like synthes izer, with percussion triangles indicating diffraction spikes. A rain-stick repr esents stars belonging to the central cluster. All of these instruments are comb ined in the composite sonification. The third collection features observations of NGC 6872, a large spiral galaxy wi th elongated arms stretching toward our upper right and lower left. NGC 6872 is backed by a field of stars and distant galaxies, with a neighboring spiral galax y beside it, to our left. The two galaxies, as well as several bright stars, are engulfed in a neon purple cloud of X-ray gas. In the related sonification video s, a radial arm sweeps clockwise around the images, starting at twelve o'clock, triggering musical sounds as different elements are encountered. The volume of t he music is mapped to brightness, and the pitch is related to the distance from the center; the farther away, the higher the pitch. In the Hubble sonification, a low drone represents the core of NGC 6872, while higher, brighter sounds repre sent the extended spiral arms. Low plucked sounds represent background galaxies, and cymbals represent foreground stars. In the Chandra sonification, wind-like sounds represent the neon purple X-ray cloud, and more compact background object s are presented as chirping birds!
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