Listen to the sounds coming from the remains of this dead star

This sonification is of the Tycho supernova remnant - the remnant of a Type Ia supernova that was observed in 1572 by the Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe.

For the unversed, data sonification is the process of translating inaudible data from some of the world's most powerful telescopes into sound, making it more accessible and easier to understand for humans.

This sonification contains X-ray data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory where the various colours represent small bands of frequency that are associated with different elements that are moving both toward and away from Earth.

Listen to the sounds coming from Tycho's supernova remnant:

Sonification Credit: NASA/CXC/SAO/K.Arcand, SYSTEM Sounds (M. Russo, A. Santaguida)

The Tycho supernova remnant is a supernova remnant located in the constellation Cassiopeia. Composed of a rapidly expanding shell of gas and dust about 30 light-years across, it is estimated to be about 5,000 years old and is located about 13,000 light-years away from Earth. Because of its proximity and intrinsic brightness, the supernova was so bright that it could be seen during the daytime with the naked eye.

As already mentioned, Tycho belongs to Type Ia class of supernovas used to measure the expansion of the Universe so the details of these explosions are very important.

The Tycho supernova remnant is an important source of information about the physics of supernovae and the interstellar medium. Astronomers have studied the remnant in detail using various X-ray, radio, and optical telescopes.

New Year's Eve fireworks? We're more into the Tycho supernova expanding! 🎆 This sonification contains data from @chandraxray, the various colors represent bands of frequency that are different elements that are moving toward and away from Earth.More>> https://t.co/dmtnvyAz5y pic.twitter.com/xtKHRxaGId

— NASA Marshall (@NASA_Marshall) January 1, 2023