Astronomers Fight Back as Sky-Dimming Satellite Plans Advance
TL;DR Summary
Astronomers are protesting two proposed orbital schemes — SpaceX’s plan to launch one million orbiting AI data centers and Reflect Orbital’s plan for 50,000 sun-reflecting mirrors — arguing they would massively brighten and clutter the night sky, degrade telescope data, and upend long-standing astronomy. Leading organizations like the Royal Astronomical Society and the European Southern Observatory have filed FCC objections, warning the sky could become several times brighter than the full moon, pixels could be lost in images, and exposure times would have to be tripled, effectively transforming the nighttime sky and hindering scientific progress.
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- New satellite constellations could ruin the night sky, astronomers warn Astronomy Magazine
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