The galaxy cluster that hums with a 57-octave deep bass

Space · Published 30 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Space is often described as a silent vacuum, but some regions are loud enough to vibrate. In the Perseus Cluster, a supermassive black hole creates pressure waves that ripple through hot gas, producing a literal sound—one so deep it sits nearly 60 octaves below the human hearing range.

The phenomenon of "singing" black holes has been documented in both the Perseus and Virgo Clusters. In Perseus specifically, astronomers have identified that the central black hole emits pressure waves. These waves travel through the hot gas enveloping the hundreds or thousands of galaxies within the cluster, providing a medium for sound propagation that is absent in the vacuum of open space. This specific acoustic behavior has been observed in two distinct locations. The Virgo Cluster also hosts a black hole associated with these audible phenomena.

Because these original frequencies are far too low for human ears to detect—sitting approximately 57 octaves below middle C—scientists use a process called sonification. By extracting data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and resynthesizing it, researchers can scale the pitch upward by 57 and 58 octaves. This translates the original signals into an audible range that is roughly 144 quadrillion to 288 quadrillion times higher than their true frequency. The sonification was released to coincide with NASA's Black Hole Week this year. This project specifically revisits actual sound waves found in previous data sets.

This work clarifies a common misconception: while sound cannot travel through a vacuum, galaxy clusters contain copious amounts of gas. By scanning these waves in radial directions—moving outward from the center—astronomers can create a radar-like audio experience. This allows us to "hear" the physical dynamics of one of the universe's most massive structures, transforming raw X-ray data into a perceptible symphony of celestial mechanics. Visual representations of these signals use blue and purple colors to highlight X-ray information. The scan allows listeners to perceive waves moving in different directions simultaneously.

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