Cassini Saturn ring data into a playable sound disc (288,954 NASA measurements)

Web version:
https://refindmaker.com/Saturn/

This project converts real NASA Cassini Radio Science Subsystem (RSS) occultation data from Saturn’s rings into a playable rotating music disc.

Every groove on the disc is based on actual optical depth measurements recorded by Cassini during the Rev007E X-band radio occultation on May 3, 2005.

Data source:
RSS_2005_123_X43_E_TAU_01KM.TAB
CORSS_8001 v2.0
PDS Ring-Moon Systems Node / Cassini RSS Team

Details:
• 288,954 original measurements
• 1km radial resolution
• 72,760km → 144,999km from Saturn’s centre
• Optical depth mapped into groove brightness, register and tone
• Cassini Division becomes silence
• Dense B-ring regions become deep brass resonance
• Saturn rotation period preserved at 10.39 seconds per revolution

The system is entirely client-side rendered and uses a five-voice brass synthesis engine:
Piccolo trumpet, trumpet, french horn, trombone and tuba.

Low density regions produce high bright tones.
Dense regions descend into low heavy brass.

The strange “spoke” behaviour in Saturn’s B-ring inspired the fixed stylus + rotating medium geometry.

⚠️ WARNING:
The sound output can become VERY loud unexpectedly, especially during resonance events and dense B-ring passages. Use low volume or headphones cautiously.

This is not scraped imagery or generated noise — the ring structures, gaps and resonance regions are derived directly from Cassini RSS optical depth measurements.

Built in Aotearoa New Zealand by Nicolas Antony Brown.