4 ms·

I saw one once and my immediate thought was that I hope such an aberration of my natural view of the sky doesn't become common. I would describe it as eery.

pjot 3y ago
I think we’re already past that point. I can hardly see stars now given the amount of light pollution my city puts off. Little dots zipping around won’t change much.
- philwelch 3y ago
  I think we're in an in-between stage--at some point, it'll be within reach for people who want an uninterrupted view of the night sky to catch a ride into orbit and just look out the window up there.
  - JohnFen 3y ago
    > it'll be within reach for people who want an uninterrupted view of the night sky to catch a ride into orbit The thought that would be necessary just to see the night sky depresses me beyond belief.
    - philwelch 3y ago
      You'll still be able to see the night sky (if you're far enough outside a city)--there will just be a lot more lights in it :)
- capableweb 3y ago
  The difference is that at least light pollution from the ground/cities you can at least get away from by going to remote places. The satellites you can't really do anything about, they'll appear no matter where you go, even in the middle of nowhere.
  - unixgoddess 3y ago
    this. same problem with noise pollution, but worse as you can't close your ears
- Beldin 3y ago
  Perhaps, if you were to move (as in: relocate), you might find that we're not completely past this point yet.
  - pjot 3y ago
    At least in the US, over 80% of the population lives in an urban area - practically speaking, we’ve passed the mark.
- serf 3y ago
  that's kind of a self-centered rationalization. "We in the city can no longer see the night sky, so it's now an unimportant issue." SpaceX sky-litter is the first time that i've had my night-sky obstructed far-far off-coast on the ocean; that feels significant somehow.
shadowgovt 3y ago
Eerier than the infinite void with points of light suspended in it by nothing at all?
- subpixel 3y ago
  Eery like the beautiful display of color that oil reflcts when it's suspended on water.

pjot 3y ago

I think we’re already past that point. I can hardly see stars now given the amount of light pollution my city puts off. Little dots zipping around won’t change much.

philwelch 3y ago
I think we're in an in-between stage--at some point, it'll be within reach for people who want an uninterrupted view of the night sky to catch a ride into orbit and just look out the window up there.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  > it'll be within reach for people who want an uninterrupted view of the night sky to catch a ride into orbit The thought that would be necessary just to see the night sky depresses me beyond belief.
  - philwelch 3y ago
    You'll still be able to see the night sky (if you're far enough outside a city)--there will just be a lot more lights in it :)
capableweb 3y ago
The difference is that at least light pollution from the ground/cities you can at least get away from by going to remote places. The satellites you can't really do anything about, they'll appear no matter where you go, even in the middle of nowhere.
- unixgoddess 3y ago
  this. same problem with noise pollution, but worse as you can't close your ears
Beldin 3y ago
Perhaps, if you were to move (as in: relocate), you might find that we're not completely past this point yet.
- pjot 3y ago
  At least in the US, over 80% of the population lives in an urban area - practically speaking, we’ve passed the mark.
serf 3y ago
that's kind of a self-centered rationalization. "We in the city can no longer see the night sky, so it's now an unimportant issue." SpaceX sky-litter is the first time that i've had my night-sky obstructed far-far off-coast on the ocean; that feels significant somehow.

shadowgovt 3y ago

Eerier than the infinite void with points of light suspended in it by nothing at all?

subpixel 3y ago
Eery like the beautiful display of color that oil reflcts when it's suspended on water.