New satellites are messing up our night sky

[profdant139]

To me, dark skies are one of the main benefits of boondocking in remote territory -- it's a lot of work to get there, but the stars are astonishing.

So this article is depressing -- apparently, Elon Musk's new sat network is unusually reflective:

Article

I can probably edit out the "sat trails" from my star photos, but I am not happy.

[babock]

winniman wrote:
I like how anyone who has any concerns about the new 5g system coming instantly needs a tinfoil hat. The fact that they are rolling it out without any testing should concern everyone. Being able to send a selfie from the stadium isn't that important. At least not to me. Whats the hurry anyway.

Not sure why 5G has anything to do with low orbit satellites. Maybe you should start a new topic.

But since you brought it up, the millimeter wave that the high performance 5G uses is actually safer than the current frequencies and there has been tons of testing. The frequencies that 5G uses are non-ionizing and does no damage to human cells. It actually penetrates less than the lower frequencies currently used for 4G.

[vermilye]

Nikon D850, 16-35mm f:4 lens at 16mm & f:4, 31 seconds & ISO 2500.

[profdant139]

Jon, I just looked at the full size version of the shot and noticed something odd. The streaks are brighter on the left side of each streak, as if the sats had moved at a steady rate during most of the exposure and had then "paused" during the last few seconds. Not possible, I know, but I am at a loss to explain the phenomenon.

I have seen meteors that cause a similar terminal flare, but those are true flares -- the meteor gets suddenly brighter at the end of its path through the atmosphere. That is not what is going on in that shot, I am sure.

A mystery!

(And that looks to be an exposure of about ten seconds, judging by the plane. With an ISO of about 6400? No electronic noise that I can see, despite the ISO -- well done!)

[time2roll]

Freedom of information in every corner of the world could improve many people's lives.

[timmac]

profdant139 wrote:
To me, dark skies are one of the main benefits of boondocking in remote territory -- it's a lot of work to get there, but the stars are astonishing.

So this article is depressing -- apparently, Elon Musk's new sat network is unusually reflective:

Article

I can probably edit out the "sat trails" from my star photos, but I am not happy.

But the good news is we will have awesome internet every where once all the satellites are up..

:B

[profdant139]

Jon, if your camera was pointed toward the west, those sats are moving from north to south, apparently in some sort of a formation? I say that because of the precisely staggered positions of the streaks.

I'm guessing you were facing west because Orion (upper right corner) is past the meridian and getting ready to set, which is what it does during the late evening in late February.

Just a guess, though.

(And have you noticed how dim Betelgeuse has gotten? Maybe we will witness a supernova??)

[winniman]

I like how anyone who has any concerns about the new 5g system coming instantly needs a tinfoil hat. The fact that they are rolling it out without any testing should concern everyone. Being able to send a selfie from the stadium isn't that important. At least not to me. Whats the hurry anyway.

[vermilye]

I was at the Imperial Dam LTVA last week and took a few night sky photos. While I have no proof that Musk's satellites are in the picture, in years of taking star photos, this is the first time I've seen the short streaks. The long diagonal streak is an airplane.

A full size jpg of the image is here. (7.4MB)

[pianotuna]

Phil,

Not melt. Burn up.

[pianotuna]

Phil,

Not melt. Burn up.

[profdant139]

time2, good point about the need for reflectivity. I thought they were mirrored just to look cool. 😉

[babock]

pnichols wrote:
So ... satellites up there at only 217 (342?) miles are going to stay in orbit for how many years? (Of course Elon is probably developing a ground or spacecraft based laser cannon to melt them away near their end of service.)

The International Space Station is at around the same height orbit. It's a lot larger than any of these very small satellites.

So...do you have WiFi in your house? Use any kind of Bluetooth devices?

You of course don't hold your cell phone to your head right?

[time2roll]

profdant139 wrote:
But couldn't they have painted them with flat black spray paint??

Heat absorption is an issue in the vacuum of space.

[pnichols]

DallasSteve wrote:

pnichols wrote:

Reisender wrote:

pnichols wrote:

pianotuna wrote:
Phil,

The deorbit is why he wants to launch 42,000 of them over a period of years.

Don,

Will a satellite melt away from those low alttitudes when it falls ... or should our descendants plan on living under heavy duty titanium roofs?

(Don't get me started on whether or not mankind "absolutely needs" the Internet on a world scale in order to survive.)

No more than we absolutely need electricity. But world wide internet improves access to healthcare for billions, education, employment, cultural awareness and a myriad of other things.

It sounds like you're an Internet convert. I just bought my first smartphone ... but I live in a place in the world where the Internet for me offers primarily only access to convenience - not necessity - and I've for some time begun to notice the every-growing downside to the Internet.

I don't see the long range logic in trying to compare electrical power for everyone to exposing everyone to the social and marketing aspects of the Internet. There are way more important things in life than for each and every person to know everything the whole world is up to on an instantaneous basis. IMHO, other interaction means are more suitable for enhancing the lives of people everywhere.

That's interesting. You know that you posted that message on the Internet, right?

I posted that message in one of the obvious good corners of the Internet! 🙂

I also make those same kind of comments directly to people using voice communications around RV campfires, at family get togethers, at parties with friends, and when visiting other states and countries doing hands-on helping of people. I'm also exposed to a lot of constructive communication over the landline phone, on our RV's CB radios, on commercial radio stations, and on the cable TV.