What Would the Sun Sound Like If We Could Hear It On Earth?

A thought experiment explores the awesome power of our star.

By Nathaniel Scharping
Feb 4, 2020 10:00 PMFeb 4, 2020 10:16 PM
sun 1-1024x1024
The sun's surface is a roiling soup of superheated plasma. If we could hear its motion as sound energy, the roar would be audible on Earth — 92 million miles away. (Credit: NASA/SDO)

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It’s dawn. The sun crests the horizon, bringing with it the first flush of light and the arrival of a new day.

And, as always, the dull roar, once muted, returns in full force. A bawling cacophony permeates the air, insidious as daylight. Gone is the trill of birdsong, the gentle rush of wind. Indeed, it is a struggle even to talk.

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