"BlueWalker 3: The Controversial Brightest Satellite in the Night Sky"

The BlueWalker 3 satellite, which can turn a mobile phone into a satellite phone, is now one of the brightest objects in the night sky, raising concerns among astronomers about light pollution. The satellite's remarkable brightness poses a significant challenge for ground-based telescopes used by astronomers to observe the celestial night sky. Rapidly growing mega-constellations of internet satellites are already disrupting astronomical observations, and the BlueWalker 3 is the brightest satellite in low Earth orbit yet. Astronomers are calling for measures to address this issue, including potential adjustments to satellite designs and mandatory evaluations of a satellite's impact on the nighttime sky prior to launch.