This Can't Be Good For Astrophotography
I don’t really see the feasibility of it, but the key word is ‘sun-synchronus’ orbit. That means they’re never gonna be on the dark side, where we image from.
What these projects seem to be ignoring is that we’ve already crossed the threshold state for the Kessler Syndrome:
Brian Puhl · Mar 18, 2026, 03:04 AM
I don’t really see the feasibility of it, but the key word is ‘sun-synchronus’ orbit. That means they’re never gonna be on the dark side, where we image from.
I hadn't thought of that. I'm hopeful.
What goes up must come down.
Somewhere.
There must be some form of Liability attached to these dumb deployments of space trash. Because it will one day be trash when it outlives its usefulness.
Nothing is worse than the human race for destroying the Earth.
Relax. Years ago, people said Starlink will destroy astronomy/astrophotography. I haven’t seen evidence of astronomy that’s even 1% destroyed. (I am not saying it has zero impact at all.)
Compared to LEO satellites that mainly show up in twilight times, I worry more about light pollution from the ground, which lasts the whole night, and poorer weather caused by global warming.
Wei-Hao Wang · Mar 19, 2026, 06:18 AM
Relax. Years ago, people said Starlink will destroy astronomy/astrophotography. I haven’t seen evidence of astronomy that’s even 1% destroyed. (I am not saying it has zero impact at all.)
Compared to LEO satellites that mainly show up in twilight times, I worry more about light pollution from the ground, which lasts the whole night, and poorer weather caused by global warming.
I hope you are right.
Agreed, light pollution, growing at 10% a year globally, is a huge problem for astrophotography. It’s also a tragic loss for new generations of children throughout the world who may not get the experience of seeing the vastness and splendor of the natural night sky in its glory, something which can stimulate creative imagination profoundly. And climate change too, but that’s unpredictable because some places are getting less cloud cover and some places are getting increasing cloud cover.
Wei-Hao Wang · Mar 19, 2026, 06:18 AM
Relax. Years ago, people said Starlink will destroy astronomy/astrophotography. I haven’t seen evidence of astronomy that’s even 1% destroyed. (I am not saying it has zero impact at all.)
Compared to LEO satellites that mainly show up in twilight times, I worry more about light pollution from the ground, which lasts the whole night, and poorer weather caused by global warming.
Starlink isn’t without fault, it mucks up many a night’s imaging. Fortunately stacking erases much of its trails.
Global warming, come on, people are not still panicking over that BS. If not for the Earth warming we’d still be in the ice age.
I filter out much of the light pollution where I am. But all the space junk put into orbit should have accountability levelled on it. The companies putting their equipment up need to be held accountable for its end-of-life removal. Because it does come back to Earth.
SonnyE · Mar 19, 2026, 02:54 PM
Global warming, come on, people are not still panicking over that BS. If not for the Earth warming we’d still be in the ice age.
I think you forgot the /s
Rick Krejci · Mar 19, 2026, 03:03 PM
SonnyE · Mar 19, 2026, 02:54 PM
Global warming, come on, people are not still panicking over that BS. If not for the Earth warming we’d still be in the ice age.
I think you forgot the /s
Ice Ages. Mo betterer?
I never did buy into this Goalball hysteria. 😬
Note:
A moderator will review this post shortly. Guess I hit a trigger word….
That is bad but this is way worse…..
“Reflect Orbital, a California-based company founded by the entrepreneur Ben Nowack, plans to launch a constellation of satellites equipped with mirrors designed to reflect sunlight onto specific locations on Earth after dark.”
One can only hope he goes bankrupt….
Bill McLaughlin · Mar 19, 2026, 10:28 PM
That is bad but this is way worse…..
“Reflect Orbital, a California-based company founded by the entrepreneur Ben Nowack, plans to launch a constellation of satellites equipped with mirrors designed to reflect sunlight onto specific locations on Earth after dark.”
One can only hope he goes bankrupt….
That concept has already been shown to be pretty much snake oil.
Bill McLaughlin · Mar 19, 2026 at 10:28 PM
That is bad but this is way worse…..
“Reflect Orbital, a California-based company founded by the entrepreneur Ben Nowack, plans to launch a constellation of satellites equipped with mirrors designed to reflect sunlight onto specific locations on Earth after dark.”
One can only hope he goes bankrupt….
I am sure he will go bankrupt if he attempts it in any seriousness.
The russians already did it and the result was illumination not more than full Moon, we all know that is not enough to trigger solar panels and walking in full moon light is a bit dangerous, at least I do not feel safe when walking in full moon illumination
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Znamya_(satellite)
I guess he did not read this and as others wrote he is selling Snake Oil
SonnyE · Mar 18, 2026, 06:38 PM
What goes up must come down
Exactly. Unfortunately, most of it “burns up” in the atmosphere. Recently, scandinavian (if I recall correctly) researchers have shown that aluminium vapour/particles from space debris that “burns up” at reentry creates a cloud that can damage the ozone layer. And Starlink satellites are already coming down daily.
Wim
Wim van Berlo · Mar 20, 2026, 06:08 AM
SonnyE · Mar 18, 2026, 06:38 PM
What goes up must come down
Exactly. Unfortunately, most of it “burns up” in the atmosphere. Recently, scandinavian (if I recall correctly) researchers have shown that aluminium vapour/particles from space debris that “burns up” at reentry creates a cloud that can damage the ozone layer. And Starlink satellites are already coming down daily.
Wim
They would have you believe that the junk burns up….
It’s going to happen more and more.
Actually, it’s not a case of “what they want us to believe”, it’s just physics. It all comes down to speed, material, construction and ballistic coefficient. Some things make it, some things don’t.
Tony Gondola · Mar 22, 2026, 04:13 PM
Actually, it’s not a case of “what they want us to believe”, it’s just physics. It all comes down to speed, material, construction and ballistic coefficient. Some things make it, some things don’t.
Well, the junk landing in places doesn’t make the evening news.
Just like when NASA went silent over that “rock” that fooled around for a while before it finally left. Rocks don’t do maneuvers.
SonnyE · Mar 22, 2026, 11:56 PM
Tony Gondola · Mar 22, 2026, 04:13 PM
Actually, it’s not a case of “what they want us to believe”, it’s just physics. It all comes down to speed, material, construction and ballistic coefficient. Some things make it, some things don’t.
Well, the junk landing in places doesn’t make the evening news.
Just like when NASA went silent over that “rock” that fooled around for a while before it finally left. Rocks don’t do maneuvers.
Well, they can and do through the Yarkovsky effect. Comets can do it by jetting. NASA went “silent” because there was nothing to say.
Since when radiative cooling in LEO is an advantage for a data centre … that fact alone should kill such ideas right away🤔
I guess many of you here will change your mind when you see this…and yes astronomy is affected..ask radio astronomy ppl-they can’t get their data right because of huge amount of calibration they’re having to do
Niraj · Mar 23, 2026, 02:15 AM
yikes!
SonnyE · Mar 18, 2026 at 06:38 PM
What goes up must come down.
Somewhere.
There must be some form of Liability attached to these dumb deployments of space trash. Because it will one day be trash when it outlives its usefulness.
Nothing is worse than the human race for destroying the Earth.
Every time I see news that a new planet similar to earth potentially capable of sustaining life has been discovered I think “ Oh wow, how cool is that ? That’s gonna give us one more to go and scrap when we’re done here”
Rick Krejci · Mar 19, 2026, 03:03 PM
SonnyE · Mar 19, 2026, 02:54 PM
Global warming, come on, people are not still panicking over that BS. If not for the Earth warming we’d still be in the ice age.
I think you forgot the /s
Unfortunately science denial can still affect even those involved in heavily scientific hobbies.