ClassX Video Lessons What Does a Black Hole Sound Like? FreeSchool Presents a Closer Look at Black Hole Sounds
Black holes are some of the most mysterious things in the universe. They have a lot of mass and a super strong gravitational pull, which means they can bend space and time. Even though we usually think of black holes as being silent, scientists have discovered that they can actually make a lot of noise!
Many people think space is completely silent because it’s mostly a vacuum, which means there’s not enough stuff to carry sound waves. But in some places, like the centers of galaxy clusters, there’s enough gas and other materials to let sound waves travel. This means scientists can figure out what sounds black holes might make.
Black holes send out pressure waves that make ripples in the gas around them. These ripples can be turned into sound, giving us a special way to “hear” what’s happening with black holes.
NASA has shared audio versions of black hole sounds. These aren’t direct recordings because the sounds black holes make are way too low for us to hear—57 octaves below what our ears can pick up! To help us hear them, scientists have changed the frequencies to be much higher, between 144 and 288 quadrillion times higher than the original sounds.
One cool example is from the Perseus Galaxy Cluster, which is about 240 million light-years away. The sound from this area is like a deep, creaky moan, created from electromagnetic data.
Another interesting sound comes from the black hole in Messier 87. Scientists made this sound by combining data from X-rays, radio waves, and light. NASA started turning black hole data into sound in 2020, and the first sound was shared in August 2022.
By turning data into sound, scientists have given us a new way to experience and learn about the universe. Listening to black holes helps us understand these mysterious objects better and makes us appreciate the wonders of space even more.
Sound Wave Experiment: Create your own sound waves using a simple experiment. Fill a bowl with water and gently tap the surface with a spoon. Watch the ripples form and spread out. Discuss with your friends or family how these ripples are similar to the pressure waves created by black holes. What happens if you tap harder or softer? How do the ripples change?
Black Hole Sound Art: Listen to the sounds of black holes shared by NASA. After listening, draw or paint what you imagine when you hear these sounds. Share your artwork with your class and explain what you think the sounds of black holes might look like if we could see them. How do these sounds make you feel about space?
Space Sound Hunt: Go on a “sound hunt” around your home or school. Try to find and record different sounds that remind you of space or the universe. It could be the hum of a refrigerator, the wind blowing, or even the sound of a car engine. Share your recordings with your classmates and discuss how these sounds might be similar to or different from the sounds of black holes.
