Listening To the Heavens: 
(sfx: Holst: Venus)
     IMAGINING THE SOUNDS OF THE HEAVENS HAS INSPIRED MUSICIANS FOR YEARS. 
THIS, FOR EXAMPLE, IS "VENUS" WRITTEN BY GUSTAV HOLST.  THE SOUNDS OF SPACE ARE
INTRIGUING TO SCIENTISTS TOO.  DOUG REVELLE IS AN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENTIST AT LOS
ALAMOS NATIONAL LABS WHO SCANS THE SKY FOR SOUNDS.  HE'S HEARING THINGS THAT
SOUND MORE LIKE THIS 

(sfx: meteor sounds).  

THAT'S THE SOUND OF A MEteoR BREAKING INTO OUR ATMOSPHERE.

     Revelle: "If you're close enough. . .you can actually hear what sounds like sonic
booms. . . some people have described it as the beat of drums but they're very very big
drums and thery very very far away."

     AS THE EARTH ORBITS THE SUN IT SWEEPS THROUGH THE SKY LIKE A HUGE DUSTMOP
COLLECTING SPACE DEBRIS ALONG THE WAY.  THESE CAN BE TINY PEBBLES A COUPLE OF
INCHES ACROSS OR METEORS SEVERAL MILES LONG.  WHEN THEY HIT OUR ATMOSPHERE,
MANY OF THEM BURN UP--AND WE SEE THEM AS SHOOTING STARS.  THOSE THAT DON'T
CAN HIT THE EARTH AND DO DAMAGE, SO IT'S WORTH OUR WHILE TO TRACK THEM. . .
WHICH WE CAN DO, SAYS REVELLE, SINCE BOTH KINDS MAKE NOISE.

     Revelle: "These things are moving as fast as 200 times the speed of sound and it is
the interaction between this high speed and the atmosphere that causes all of the
spectacular optical and audible effects that we can observe down on the ground."

     THE METEORS CAUSE A SHOCK WAVE WHEN THEY BREAK THROUGH THE
ATMOSPHERE and REVELLE CAN TRACK THAT WITH PRESSURE SENSORS.  LOS ALAMOS SET
THESE SENSORS UP LONG AGO TO LISTEN FOR UNDERGROUND NUCLEAR TESTING AND
WERE SURPRISED TO LEARN THEY COULD BE PUT TO OTHER USES AS WELL.