Rotate for different soundscapes
Pinch to zoom to adjust volume
Tap the moon to set a timer
The sound starts by itself where the browser allows it, otherwise with your first touch anywhere. Drag to travel; the mix follows whichever place faces you. Pinch to bring it closer (louder) or push it away (quieter), and twist two fingers to turn it (shift-drag with a mouse). Double-tap the planet to let it drift slowly on its own; double-tap again to hold it still. The moon is the sleep timer: tap it to step through 15 minutes (thin crescent), 30 (half moon), 60 (gibbous) and on (full moon); while the timer runs the moon slowly wanes toward a new moon, and the sound fades out at the end. When it ends, tap anywhere to start again with a 30 minute timer. “On” plays until you pause it from the lock screen or close the app. Long-press empty sky to open this page. Add this page to your Home Screen for the most reliable playback on iPhone, including with the silent switch on and the screen locked. Use a Focus mode if you also want to silence notifications.
These field recordings were trimmed, loudness-normalised and seamlessly looped. Licences that ask for credit are listed below.
Wind and the satellite’s static and sonar pings are generated live in the browser (the faint satellite voices are the NASA clip above). The planet, its cratered moon and the birds are an original real-time scene. Typeface: Cormorant Garamond (SIL Open Font License). 3D engine: Three.js (MIT).