Exoplanets are planets that orbit a star beyond the confines of our own solar system. One parameter we use to understand their orbits is called eccentricity. This song was created from a data set of exoplanet eccentricities, where lower notes correspond to more circular orbits with lower values, and the higher notes are mapped to more eccentric, elongated orbits.
Similar to planets in our own solar system, the orbital path of an exoplanet is guided by its host star. This gravitational interaction causes the exoplanet to exhibit periodic changes in speed along the line of sight from Earth, known as radial velocity. This song captures this behavior by playing the increase and decrease in radial velocity , which results in a waveform that oscillates as the planet moves toward and then away from us.
When an exoplanet passes between a star and an observer, it causes a temporary dimming in the brightness of that star. This phenomenon, known as the Transit method, is a widely utilized technique for detecting distant exoplanets. The slow decrease to lower notes in this song symbolizes the star’s reduced luminosity during the exoplanet’s passage.
Star temperatures range from 6,000-90,000°F and depend on the rate of nuclear fusion occurring within their cores. This fusion process, predominantly the conversion of hydrogen into helium, releases vast amounts of energy and in turn heats the star. This song was created from a data set of star temperatures where lower notes correspond to lower temperatures and more abundant” M” type stars. The high notes represent “O” type stars which are the hottest and rarest in the universe.
A black hole is an area in space with a gravitational pull so strong that nothing, not even light or other forms of radiation can escape. Black holes can be surrounded by a hot glowing accretion disk produced by the friction of matter as it spirals inward. The brightness of this disk is known to fluctuate in a pattern called quasi-periodic oscillations, though the exact reasons for these changes remain uncertain. This song contains a subtle yet discernible cyclic pattern of increasing and decreasing notes, to mirror the periodic variations in the brightness of the disk.
Particles drawn towards a black hole within the accretion disk heat up as they are accelerated due to its gravitational pull, and convert potential energy into kinetic energy. This acceleration causes them to lose energy and travel inward. The time it takes for a particle to reach the event horizon, the boundary beyond which there is no return, could take anywhere from minutes to years. This song represents the radial velocity, where the peaks gradually decrease as the particle spirals towards the center of the black hole.
A supernova occurs when a star exhausts its nuclear fuel and undergoes a catastrophic collapse, exploding into a brilliant burst of light. The brightness of a supernova as seen from Earth is quantified by its magnitude with larger negative values corresponding to brighter objects. This song was created from a supernova magnitude dataset where lower notes represent the brightest explosions.
Supernovae are so powerful they create new atomic nuclei and release tremendous amounts of radio waves, x-rays, and cosmic rays. After the initial explosion, a supernova’s brightness increases rapidly and then gradually fades away over a period of days to months. The rate of decay depends on the chemical composition of the last stages of the star’s life. The increase to high notes in this song corresponds to the peak brightness of a supernova, while the gradual transition to low notes reflects the diminishing brightness. This behavior represents a supernova light curve.
Check out our music showcase where professional musicians accompanied the songs of the ladies from the AstroBeats Project.
Music played by Josée Weigand-Klein & Telalit from Rhose Studio Strings