
Listening for Exoplanets! |
We recommend using headphones when listening to sonifications!
You are an astronomer studying exoplanets—planets that orbit stars in other solar systems. What can you learn about these distant planets using your ears?
You have collected exoplanet data by using a telescope to record a star for an extended time. When a planet passes in front, it blocks some of the light. This is called the transit method, because you analyze the change in light as the planet transits in front of the star.
Light is sonified as pitch—higher pitches represent brighter light and deeper pitches represent dimmer light. Sonified transits start high pitched, deepen as the planet blocks some light, and then return to its original pitch.
You have collected exoplanet data by using a telescope to record a star for an extended time. When a planet passes in front, it blocks some of the light. This is called the transit method, because you analyze the change in light as the planet transits in front of the star.
Light is sonified as pitch—higher pitches represent brighter light and deeper pitches represent dimmer light. Sonified transits start high pitched, deepen as the planet blocks some light, and then return to its original pitch.