You may have seen the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) image of the supermassive black hole called Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) at the center of the Milky Way before. Now you can listen to the audio version of this black hole.
Sonification using a radar-like scan starts at 12 o’clock and rotates clockwise. The changes in sound represent the observed brightness differences around the Sgr A* event horizon of the EHT. Objects that are closer to the black hole and therefore move faster correspond to higher sound frequencies. This sonification has been specially processed to ensure a listener can hear the data in 3D stereo sound, and sounds appear (and are heard) starting directly from the front and then moving clockwise to one ear and then to the other as the scan is performed.
This radar-like scan moves clockwise starting at 12 o’clock. The brightness in the image controls the sound and the radial position controls the available frequencies. Materials closer to the black hole (which spins faster) are heard at higher frequencies.
When you listen to this binaural rendered sound with headphones, the sound will sound as if it starts directly in front of you and then moves clockwise around your head.
Along with the three bright zones at approximately 1, 5 and 9 o’clock, you can also hear very low tones indicating dimmer light from outside the main ring.
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