The sounds of Mars and Venus can be heard at INTECH planetarium
In a world first, the sounds of Mars and Venus are revealed as part of a planetarium show in Hampshire this Easter. Despite many years of space exploration, we have no evidence of the sound of other planets. While most planetary probes have focused on imaging with cameras and radar and a couple have carried microphones, none of them successfully listened to the sound of another world. Now, a team from the University of Southampton, led by Professor Tim Leighton, has the answer. Using the tools and techniques of physics and mathematics, they created the natural sounds of other worlds, from lightning on Venus to whirlwinds on Mars and ice volcanoes on Saturn's moon, Titan. In addition to these natural sounds, they have modelled the effects of different atmospheres, pressures and temperatures on the human voice on Mars, Venus and Titan (Saturn's largest moon). They have developed unique software to transform the sound of a voice on earth to one that's literally 'out of this world'. Read more
A planetarium incorporating some of the world's most advanced digital projection technology is due to open in the south of England next month. The Intech science centre near Winchester receives data from Nasa, other space agencies and weather bureaux to produce current images of space and Earth. Engineers are still designing shows that make best use of the hi-tech centre, with an interstellar presentation being the first display planned for the planetarium's launch.
Star novelist Terry Pratchett will open the UK's largest planetarium at Winchester's INTECH Science Centre next month. The popular science fiction and children's author will officially unveil the new £650,000 facility on Wednesday, March 19, before it's opened to the public two days later on Good Friday (March 21).