Dabbling in Radio Astronomy

  

The above video is a recording of the planet Jupiter. I captured this radio frequency (RF) signal using my Icom IC-R75 shortwave receiver connected to a 100-foot-long wire antenna during the evening while Jupiter was high in the sky. If you listen carefully, you can hear, under the static, some crashing wave sounds That's the RF signal emanating from the gas giant. 

Jupiter is one of the strongest natural radio sources in our solar system, and with the right setup, amateur astronomers can tune in from their own backyards. What you're actually listening to are powerful bursts of radio waves generated by the interaction between Jupiter's intense magnetic field and its volcanic moon Io — as Io orbits Jupiter, it pumps electrons into the planet's magnetosphere, triggering dramatic plasma instabilities that release intense radio bursts. These are called "decametric" radio emissions, and they crackle and hiss in a way that sounds almost like ocean waves or crackling static with a distinctive swooping quality. Jupiter broadcasts most strongly in the 15–38 MHz frequency range (shortwave/HF), with some of the most active "storm" windows centered around 20.1 MHz. On this specific evening, I picked them up at 18.215.91MHz. 

Give it a try if you've got the gear. Even a cheap~ish radio and shorter wire antenna might suffice...

By the way, I created a Jupiter RF Activity Predictor Widget! It's experimental, but you'll find it on the lower right hand sidebar of this blog. Let me know if it's useful!