Thursday, December 10, 2009

Music in the stars?


It seems astronomers have discovered that black holes emit a single note - Bb (B flat). Which makes me wonder at the Om being emitted by the mantras of the masses. What note is that at? Is it deep in our throats that a Bb is available? The sound I consider happy is not a Bb, but a happier note, like an A or a C. Is Bb the sound of the blues? It would follow, in my random logic, that a black hole and the blues have a common thread.

Of all the notes to be emitted by deep space I am not surprised by Bb. I had hoped for a lighter note, something denoting (pun intended) love or happiness. So then, what note does the sun, or the moon, emit?
Eta-Carina in our galaxy, taken with the Hubble Space Telescope. The star that exploded in 2004 and 2006 in the far off galaxy 2006 was likely a very massive star like Eta-Carina, of up to 100 solar masses, and doomed to death when its core collapsed to a black hole. (c) NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope and Jon Morse
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3 comments:

  1. DougDecember 11, 2009 at 3:24 PM

    If light can't escape a black hole, how is it that sound can...?

    And, if it can indeed, does that Bb take into account the redshift?

    ;-)

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  2. captron52December 11, 2009 at 7:03 PM

    Black holes are where all of our politicians and lawyers are from. And of course they are still trying to suck us all inot the black hle they came from. I sure hope you have a wonderful weekend my dear friend!

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  3. John0 JuanderlustDecember 11, 2009 at 9:28 PM

    Most blues I know is in G A and E. Now if it emitted a chord, Bb minor, then it might be considered a little blue. Since Bb is just a shade above A, it is probably not so unhappy.
    Aren't most brass band instruments, like trumpets, tuned to Bb, sort of like their open key?

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