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.

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* Here is an idealized example of how a transit sounds:

Do you understand how to listen for transits?

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* A star with an orbiting exoplanet has been recorded for one Earth year. You want to find out how many times the exoplanet transited.

Listen to this sonification. How many times do you hear the exoplanet transit.



How many times did the exoplanet transit?

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* How many times did you replay the sounds before answering?

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* The length of time the light is blocked can tell us how long the exoplanet takes to orbit its star. Listen to these 3 transits. Which transit was longest and which was shortest?



Which transit was longest? 

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* Which transit was shortest?

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* How many times did you replay the sounds before answering?

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* The length of time between two transits tells us how long that planet takes to orbit its star—the length of its year! Longer space between transits represents a longer year and shorter space between transits represents a shorter year.

Listen to these 3 examples to compare the length of their years. Which planet has the longest year and which has the shortest year?

Which planet has the longest year?

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* Which planet has the shortest year?

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* How many times did you replay the sounds before answering?

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* Listen to this final transiting exoplanet sonification. Describe qualities of the transit.

Describe what you heard:

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* Have you interacted with sonified data before?

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* Are you Blind or Vision Impaired?

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* How familiar are you with astronomy?

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* How familiar are you with data analysis?

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* How did you listen to these sonifications?

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* I hope you enjoyed listening to exoplanet data. Do you have any comments or ideas about how to make these sonifications easier to understand?

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