The Voice of the Universe project explores the science of the deep universe through the lens of art and music. David Ibbett, Resident Composer Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian collaborates with vocalists, scientists and filmmakers to produce immersive compositions - released through the Multiverse Concert Series Youtube channel.

Track 1: Luminosity, invites listeners to the world of the Harvard Computers: a pioneering group of women in the C19th who made groundbreaking discoveries in astrophysics in a time where women were prevented from holding academic positions. Singing from Harvard’s Great Refractor telescope - in its time the largest telescope in the USA - soprano Agnes Coakley Cox sings of special moments in history that have expanded our perspective on the cosmos. Around her, stars and galaxies from the groundbreaking SMACS 0723 image swirl overhead, with their data sonified into musical melodies. This was the first science image taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, overlaid with X-Ray data from the Chandra X-Ray Observatory - showing an incredible gravitational lens formed by the SMACS cluster. This allows us to see further back in time than ever before, to the era of the cosmic dark ages and first galaxies, and ultimately - the birth of the first stars in the universe.

Launch Competitions

1. Comment Competition Tell us "How did the video and science behind it affect your perspective on the cosmos? " Top 5 comments get a Black Hole Symphony ecocotton T-Shirt

2. Submit an Image Competition We're holding a competition to pick a future image to sonify into music! Link to submission

Starring: Agnes Coakley Cox
Composer: David Ibbett, Resident Composer Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian
Director: Meredith Leich
Videographer: Rajarajan Palanimurugan
Gaffer: Ross Barros-Smith
Editor and Compositor: Meredith Leich, North Light Works
Editing Consultant: Nathaniel Leich
Science Consultant: Grant Tremblay, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Musicians:
Guitars: Reuben Durham
Piano and electronics: David Ibbett
Drums: Jonathan Hess
Flute/picc: Jessica Smith

Images and Video:
SMACS 0723 by the JWST and Chandra space telescopes, with thanks to NASA
Plates a00144 and a02025 courtesy of the Harvard Plate Stacks, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Animation:
Astrophysical animations by Matt Russo of SYSTEM Sounds Flyby of the JWST courtesy NASA, SkyWorks Digital, Northrop Grumman, STSci
Chandra X-ray Observatory courtesy of NASA and A. Hobart (CXC)

With thanks to:
Henrietta Swan Leavitt and the Harvard Computers
Filmed in the Great Refractor, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian

Produced by Multiverse Concert Series