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All earth-bound or upper atmospheric photo-astronomy now looks like this: https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=571785082&q=starlink+astronomy&tbm=isch https:/
by KennyBlanken 3y ago
All earth-bound or upper atmospheric photo-astronomy now looks like this:
https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=571785082&q=starlink+astronomy&tbm=isch https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=571785082&q=starlink+a...
The satellites reflect a significant amount of sunlight. It's many, many times worse than existing satellites and lights from airplane traffic and more difficult to remove the tracks, plus whatever was hidden behind the reflecting satellite is lost.
Things are even worse for radio astronomy, because apparently the starlink satellites emit significant RF pollution: https://www.space.com/starlink-electronics-hum-disturbs-radio-astronomy https://www.space.com/starlink-electronics-hum-disturbs-radi...
https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2023/08/aa46374-23/aa46374-23.html https://www.aanda.org/articles/aa/full_html/2023/08/aa46374-...
The interference apparently varies satellite to satellite in both intensity and band, and exists in a very wide range of frequencies, including those protected for scientific observation by the ITU.
It's infuriating that one man has so significantly impacted nearly an entire field of science.
- deelowe 3y agoI thought it was temporary and only happened when they are first launched?
- vel0city 3y agoThere's more than a single employee at Starlink. There's over 200 people significantly on impacting nearly an entire field of science, along with their subscribers paying money to impact an entire field of science.
- PBnFlash 3y agoThe wide angle and time lapse of these massively overstates the problem. The angle they cover is microscopic and they only cover it for an instant. In visible spectrum I find it very hard to believe it is a more serious problem than earth based astronomy already deals with like atmospheric issues. Radio looks pretty bleak, noise floor is about to get a lot higher.