A new project, launched by NASA, has been turning the beauty of the universe into sound and giving the visually impaired a chance to experience the hidden wonders of space.
Through a process known as sonification, NASA has translated data into sound which gets accompanied by new images of celestial objects observed by the space telescopes of the agency.
The audio was released by NASA along with a new documentary, “Listen to the Universe”. It was uploaded on the new NASA+ streaming platform on Wednesday (Feb 28).
“Sonifications add a new dimension to stunning space imagery, and make those images accessible to the blind and low-vision community for the first time,” stated Liz Landau, who heads multimedia efforts for NASA’s Astrophysics Division and also looks over the production of the documentary.
“I was honoured to help tell the story of how Dr. Arcand and the System Sounds team make these unique sonic experiences and the broad impact those sonifications have had,” Landau said.
All about NASA sonification project
The NASA sonification project started in 2020 and came from other Chandra X-ray Observatory projects which is aimed at targetting blind and visually impaired audiences. “Listen to the Universe” looks into the process of how these sonifications are created.
Telescopes like Chandra X-ray Observatory generally collect scientific data from space in the form of digital signals and convert them into visual images. Sonification is also a similar process but it involves audio.
The first sonification was done of a supernova remnant which was blowing a cloud of energised particles.
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Another was created of a spiral galaxy, which is similar to the Milky Way, and the third of a spatial cloud of gas and dust, nicknamed the “Jellyfish Nebula.”
The NASA+ streaming platform was established to provide on-demand video and other content regarding the agency to the public.
(With inputs from agencies)
Shambhu Kumar is a science communicator, making complex scientific topics accessible to all. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
