Soundscape: Paranal software sounds

There are three distinctive sounds at the Paranal Observatory Control Room during a night of observations: conversations between astronomers and telescope operators, chairs rolling from one desk to another to check different stations, and the sound of the instruments’ software—something very distinctive at Paranal and not very common on other observatories. Here you can find a selection of some of those audios.

The software of each instrument on Paranal plays certain sounds when there is some action required by the operators, or something goes wrong, or something was successful. Some of these sounds may be nice, funny, or even movie quotes. These audio feedbacks are very useful because the staff don’t have to stare at the screens all the time. Each telescope station at the Control Room has several screens showing data, like numbers and graphics, so sounds are an aid when attention is needed.