A Deep Voice From Deep Space

Washington Post ^ | September 10, 2003 | Guy Gugliotta

[tang-soo]

Astronomers for the first time have detected sound waves emanating from a supermassive black hole, researchers said yesterday. With a frequency of 10 million years, the wave is the deepest "note" ever found in the universe -- a B-flat that is 57 octaves below a piano's middle C.

Researchers said heat generated by the sound wave may explain why gases moving within clusters of galaxies do not cool down to form more stars -- an anomaly that has puzzled astrophysicists for years.

[tang-soo]

4 "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? Tell me, if you understand.

5 Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know! Who stretched a measuring line across it?

6 On what were its footings set, or who laid its cornerstone-

7 while the morning stars sang together and all the angels (the sons of God) shouted for joy?

Job 38:4-7 (The New International Version)

Given time, science eventually catches up with the Bible.

[bmwcyle]

AMEN

[curmudgeonII]

How can a B flat be 57 octaves below a middle C [on, or off, a piano]?

[martin_fierro]

"Space, b flat"

"No, space be curved!"

[Bacon Man]

How can a B flat be 57 octaves below a middle C [on, or off, a piano]?

Just because a note is below the range of a piano keyboard or even human hearing doesn't mean it can't exist.

[Izzy Dunne]

How can a B flat be 57 octaves below a middle C [on, or off, a piano]?

I think he means 57 and two twelfths octaves, but he rounded off...

[eastsider]

By having a wavelength 57 times longer than middle c.

[gitmo]

Gotta have a long left arm to hit that note.

[Pan_Yans Wife]

You need some humor, PING!

[Izzy Dunne]

Just because a note is below the range of a piano keyboard or even human hearing doesn't mean it can't exist.

True, but one shouldn't call this "sound".

[eastsider]

Sound wave would probably be more appropriate.

[Izzy Dunne]

By having a wavelength 57 times longer than middle c.

Not quite.
Go down ONE octave, the wavelength is twice middle C.
Go down TWO octaves, the wavelength is four times middle C.
Go down THREE octaves, the wavelength is eight times middle C.
Go down 57 octaves, and the wavelength is 2^57 times middle C.

[CO_dreamer]

I thought sound couldn't travel in a vacuum.

[eastsider]

Picky, picky, picky ...

All right, then, by having a wavelength 57 times longer than the B-flat below middle C. Okay? : )

[null and void]

I thought sound couldn't travel in a vacuum.

I guess we all need to get rid of our XM radios...

[Cronos]

A deep voice from deep space: LORD VADER SPEAKS!!!!

[mhking]

...and when they decoded it, they figured out that it was a really deep voice saying, "ZUUUUUULLLL"

Just damn.

If you want on the new list, FReepmail me. This IS a high-volume PING list...

[As i mentioned, the B/C & JD! lists are going to float into and out of whack over the forseeable future, while I try to cobble a rig back together for myself. My apologies for any incovenience or misunderstandings in this time frame. New signups/removals may be flaky in this time-frame as well; please bear with me, and keep in mind you may have to FReemail me more than once for me to get it done. Thanks again!]

[KayEyeDoubleDee]

I thought sound couldn't travel in a vacuum.

Space isn't really a perfect vacuum, see this follow up article.

[CO_dreamer]

XM radio doesn't receive sound, it receives radio waves and translates them into sound.

[eastsider]

Congratulations, Izzy. You are today's winner of the Pythagorean Award. You're exactly right, thank you. The correct answer is, "By having a wavelength 2 to the 57th power longer than the B-flat below middle C."

Thanks again : )