Lee Mohon
Feb 25, 2026 ArticleContents
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In this image, the amount of diffuse X-rays from a donut-shaped ring of energetic particles around Jupiter, seen on the left and right side of the planet, has been enhanced compared to the amount of X-rays from the planet's auroras, seen at the poles. As the scan moves left to right, it encounters X-rays that bracket the planet on either side, and this plays as woodwind sounds. As we pass over the planet itself, seen in an infrared image from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, the sounds become fuller as the infrared data is represented by other instruments. Since Jupiter is tilted slightly, the pitch descends as the scan passes over the bright band near the equator and through the Great Red Spot. On the other side, more X-ray data from Chandra flanks the planet and can be heard as gusty wind sounds at the end. NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
supports HTML5 videoSaturn
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The scan of Saturn begins on the right and moves to the left. As it encounters Saturn’s famous rings, seen in an optical image from the Cassini mission, listeners hear a siren effect whose frequency follows the arc of the rings. Once the scan reaches the planet itself, the sounds change, to lower tones with a dark synthetic bass sound. This distinguishes the rings from the planet. Chandra’s X-rays are heard as higher synthetic tones that mark where high-energy activity is found across the planet, rings, and poles. NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
supports HTML5 videoUranus
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Returning to the left to right scan, the sounds begin with a cello that traces the arcing ring – not as famous as Saturn’s but still prominent – around the ice giant Uranus. The notes change to represent the amount of reflected light and its location on Uranus as seen in an optical light image from the W.M. Keck Observatory. The X-rays detected by Chandra, which come from X-rays from the Sun that are reflected, are heard as higher frequencies as the scan passes over the pinkish region of the planet. The apparent asymmetry in the X-rays may not be a real effect because of the faint signal and the smoothing that was applied to the image. NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)
supports HTML5 videoNASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, manages the Chandra program. The Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory’s Chandra X-ray Center controls science operations from Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations from Burlington, Massachusetts.
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Read more from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory
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Visual Description
This release features three sonifications, each focusing on a different planet in our solar system. The sonifications are presented as soundtracks to short videos. Each video features a composite image and an activation line. As the activation line sweeps across the image, it encounters visual elements. These elements are translated into sound, or sonified, according to parameters established by Chandra’s sonification team.
The first sonification focuses on the planet Jupiter. At the center of the associated composite image is the gas giant itself; a seemingly perfect sphere with an atmosphere of latitudinal bands. The bands are different shades of grey, brown, and black, each with its own texture and width. Flanking Jupiter are neon pink and white clouds, representing X-rays from energetic particles in a ring around the planet. In the video, the activation line moves from our left to right. It first encounters a pink cloud, triggering whooshing woodwinds. When the activation line encounters Jupiter, dramatic low notes are triggered. Listen for the dip as the line passes over the Great Red Spot in Jupiter’s southern hemisphere. The activation line continues toward our right, passing more pink X-ray clouds. The largest cloud, the last one encountered, has a bright white core, which translates to loud gusty woodwinds.
The second sonification focuses on the ringed planet, Saturn. In the composite image, the large gas giant fills the frame, its spherical outer layer a pale sandy grey. In this image, the wide bands of rings surrounding the planet are in shades of pale grey and sandy yellow. Here, Saturn is tilted away from us, making the round rings appear oval in shape. Dotting the planet are small pockets of neon blue. These represent reflected X-ray light observed by Chandra. In this video, the activation line moves from our right to left. When the line passes over the rings, a whooshing sounds spreads, conveying the widening middle of the oval shapes. Pockets of neon blue X-ray light trigger synthesizer sounds, with the pitch mapped to each pocket’s vertical position in the image. When the line sweeps across Saturn’s large round body, a low rumbling synth tone is triggered. The volume is linked to brightness, such that the low tone fades when the line reaches the shady side of the planet, on our left.
The third sonification features the planet Uranus. In the composite image, the icy giant is a greenish-blue cyan color, with a blush of neon pink X-rays hovering over its core. Uranus has a collection of very narrow rings, much finer than the wide disk-like rings surrounding Saturn. In this image, the fine rings are near vertical and slightly tilted, creating an oval shape with rounded points at our lower left and upper right. In this sonification, the activation line moves from our left to right. Brightness is mapped to volume and height is mapped to pitch, such that brighter objects at the top of the image sound louder and higher. Here, the curved oval shape of the rings is conveyed as a swooping cello note, with the pitch sliding up as the activation line passes the oval tilted toward our upper right.
News Media Contact
Megan Watzke
Chandra X-ray Center
Cambridge, Mass.
617-496-7998
mwatzke@cfa.harvard.eduJoel Wallace
Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Alabama
256-544-0034
joel.w.wallace@nasa.govShare
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Last Updated Feb 25, 2026 EditorLee MohonContactJoel Wallacejoel.w.wallace@nasa.govLocationMarshall Space Flight CenterRelated Terms
- Chandra X-Ray Observatory
- Astrophysics
- Jupiter
- Marshall Astrophysics
- Marshall Space Flight Center
- Planets
- Saturn
- Science & Research
- The Solar System
- Uranus
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