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# Data Sonification: Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)

Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory

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                      -     DetailsRelatedObject Details- Creator
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
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- 1,845
- Video Title
- Data Sonification: Whirlpool Galaxy (M51)
- Description
- Messier 51 (M51) is perhaps better known by its nickname of the Whirlpool Galaxy because its face-on orientation to Earth reveals its wound-up spiral arms. This gives telescopes here a view of another spiral galaxy similar to our Milky Way, whose structure we cannot observe directly from our position within it. As with the Cat's Eye, the sonification begins at the top and moves radially around the image in a clockwise direction. The radius is mapped to notes of a melodic minor scale. Each wavelength of light in the image obtained from NASA telescopes in space (infrared, optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray) is assigned to a different frequency range. The sequence begins with sounds from all four types of light, but then separately moves through the data from Spitzer, Hubble, GALEX, and Chandra. At wavelengths in which the spiral arms are prominent, the pitches creep upwards as the spiral reaches farther from the core. A constant low hum associated with the bright core can be heard, punctuated by short sounds from compact sources of light within the galaxy. For more information, visit: https://chandra.si.edu/photo/2021/sonify3/
- Video Duration
- 33 sec
- YouTube Keywords
- astronomy space telescope astrophysics science
- Uploaded
- 2021-04-27T18:24:55.000Z
- Type
- YouTube Videos
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- cxcpub
- Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
- YouTube Channel
- cxcpub
- YouTube Category
- Science & Technology
- Topic
- Astronomy
- Record ID
- yt_TcAsKdUAgEk
- Metadata Usage (text)
- Usage conditions apply
Related Content-                    Cosmic Collections                 
-                    Space Sounds: Data Sonification                 
  CC0Creative Commons - No Rights Reserved iconUsage Conditions Apply>download icon>          There are restrictions for re-using this image. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page .        International media Interoperability FrameworkIIIF provides researchers rich metadata and media viewing options for comparison of works across cultural heritage collections. Visit the IIIF page to learn more.View manifestView in Mirador ViewerExpand to view image×                             Footer logo      
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