Silence in Space? It Depends...

Sorry, every space movie ever made Outer space is known for complete silence, because sound waves need a medium to vibrate through. The gas and dust floating in the universe is capable of carrying sound waves, but they’re so spread out that the sound waves they produce are at far too low a frequency for us to hear.--howthingsfly.si.edu

You read it first in this week’s The Factory in Guide magazine.

Space is a place where it’s hard to believe there is no sound. Afterall, what happens when the gas giants explode? Or when a star goes supernova? Explosions of that magnitude are monstrous! And we expect them to be mega loud. Afterall, they create extensive shock waves.

As you may know, there is no breathable air in space. As a result there are no air particles. Air particles help carry sound by waves. So, not only would you not be able to breathe, but you wouldn’t be able to talk so someone could hear you. Why? Because the atmosphere in space is different. 

Everything that would carry a sound wave in space is so far apart that the sound is lost, or at the most, so low we cannot humanly hear it. Atoms, molecules, dust particles, you name it, they are all too far apart to carry the sound. Because Space is relatively empty, meaning things in space are so far apart from each other,  it is considered a vacuum. 

Even the planets themselves are far from each other. For instance, Venus varies from about 26 million miles away from Earth at its closest, to 160 million miles at its farthest; Mercury is about 48 million miles from Earth;  and Mars varies from about 34 million miles at its closest, to 250 million miles at its farthest. All depending on where planets are on their rotation cycles.

All this being said, there is definitely sound in space, we just can’t hear it. But, if we were to get the right equipment, to hear the right frequencies, we could hear a myriad of sounds that would remind us of hums, winds blowing, ringing, buzzing, etc. 

Because of NASA’s amazing research we can hear what some of our planets sound like today. Click on the blue words below to give a listen. “NASA has previously captured the unearthly sounds of the solar system, through radio emissions that scientists have converted into sound waves.”  

Some say the loudest sound in the universe is caused by colliding black holes and could reach as high as 1100 decibels, far above what the human ear can even make out. Not only would it be loud, but the sheer force and magnitude of the sound wave could prove very destructive to things in its way.

Some of these planet sounds are very eerie to us, but I wonder how God hears them?  Each planet has its own special sound. If we were to put them altogether in a symphony would they be praise and worship to God?  Something to consider.

Space, the planets and galaxies, all things in the universe are still quite a mystery to us on many levels. But we know from the Bible that all things were made to praise God. This reminds me of Psalm 145:9-10, The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works. All Your works shall praise You, O LORD, And Your saints shall bless you."

Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.