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Why Astronomers Worry About the Brightness of SpaceX's Starlink Satellites
- jv22222 7y agoIs there any reason they could not be painted with the new very black paints? Or does some of their surface need to be reflective for some reason?
- jv22222 7y agoLooks like this can be done: https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/11/20/this-is-how-elon-musk-can-fix-the-damage-his-starlink-satellites-are-causing-to-astronomy/#d8025634ccce https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/11/20/this... > Even more cost-effectively, simply coating the satellites with a very dark, low-albedo outer layer would go a long way to reducing the astronomically polluting effects of this constellation. > Albedo reduction, it is very clear from the current Starlink satellites, was not even considered as part of the design. By incorporating some common sense steps to reduce it — and I know plenty of astronomers willing to help with recommendations — the apparent brightness of these satellites can be reduced by a factor of approximately ~100.