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The recent large-scale deployment of the first element of the SpaceX satellite constellation has sparked controversy among astro astronomers and photographers. With the planned launch of 12,000 satellites by the mid-2020s, some people fear the worst. What is really happening?
The Starlink concept is simple: injecting thousands of satellites into low Earth orbit to create a space-based Internet communication system that will provide global coverage anywhere on the planet. Unfortunately, the regular stellar observer knows that satellites in orbit can become visible when they reflect sunlight on Earth. The observability of a satellite depends on several factors, such as the size and nature of the object, the angle of sunlight from the ground, the orientation of the spacecraft's solar panels, the distance to the land and the length of the day. But with 12,000 satellites scheduled for take-off, many astronomers are worried about the risk of light pollution that the Starlink constellation could cause. The astro-photographers could also be affected because this type of images requires a long exposure and it may be useless to have thousands of artificial stars that crisscross the sky at any time.
Bill Kell, a professor of astronomy at the University of Alabama, said: "I saw the Starlink train run about 15 degrees from the zenith above Tuscaloosa. Some of them showed very systematic bursts, flashing almost at the same place in the sky. The brightest rockets reached a magnitude of 2 for about 5 seconds. "For reference, it's 50% brighter than Sirius, the brightest star in the sky," says the space weather archive.
Elon Musk initially dismissed the concerns, but he eventually asked his engineers to reduce satellite albedo (decreasing light reflection).
However, as satellites gain altitude, they should be less visible. For Jonathan McDowell of the Harvard-Smithsonian Astrophysical Center: "It will take weeks, if not months, before we can fully assess the situation."
Whatever the case may be, if this concern is justified, Mr. Musk has promised that his team will "ensure that Starlink has no material effect on astronomical discoveries." We are very concerned about the science ".
Cover photo by SpaceX on Unsplash.
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