🛰️ Starlink light pollution - Link to live Starlink satellite map

[Peter Simpson]

Hello all,
I've been thinking more and more about Starlink and their current 1000+ (soon to be around 7,200, then within 10 years 42,000, originally it was supposed to be 12,000) satellites and the light pollution (light reflection) that the satellites have been causing some stargazers and astronomers to complain about. Yes I do have a telescope with multiple eyepieces, filters, smartphone adapter, USB camera eyepiece for computers/laptops and a tracking motor, sadly it's not mobile even though I wish that it was.

Did you know that by the time SpaceX finishes launching all of its planned Starlink satellites, Starlink will have 15 times more Starlink satellites in orbit than all the other satellites added together. Even though Starlink satellites are designed to automatically manoeuvre away from other obstacles (hopefully limiting collisions causing space debris), just under 2% of Starlink satellites have lost manoeuvrability capabilities or have failed completely. Starlink satellites are designed to have a working lifespan of between 5 to 7 years, as technology advances the satellites will be decommissioned and replaced with newer up to date satellites using updated technology. Yesterday the Falcon 9 launch vehicle carried 60 more Starlink satellites into orbit ready to deploy and expand planetary internet coverage.

Hmm, now lets answer my original question.
Newer Starlink satellites try to counteract light pollution with a special dark coating that faces our planet, hopefully this will mitigate the light pollution issues that are causing stargazers and astronomers such huge problems. Stargazers and astronomers have complained that they can't see for examples any potential object (small or large) that in theory could collide with the earth as all they can see are streaks of light from the Starlink satellite system.

Lets hope that this new coating that Starlink are using will fix their light pollution issues.

Below is a link to the current status of the SpaceX Starlink satellite map, I found it quite interesting and I learned more than I though I would.

Starlink satellite tracker

Live view of SpaceX starlink satellite constellation and coverage.

satellitemap.space

How to use the satellite map

About satellitemap.space

Screenshot

Enjoy

 

[andymc]

Nice application. My personal view is that the benefits of Starlink outweigh the concerns of astronomers right now. Bringing fast internet access to all corners of the globe is a huge achievement that can't be downplayed. Also, spotting near Earth asteroids should be the job of automated orbital telescope anyway, we shouldn't be passing planetary defence to amateurs. And SpaceX offers a cheaper way to get these automated telescope to orbit, especially with Starship coming online as a real option in the next 18 months.

 

[Peter Simpson]

we shouldn't be passing planetary defence to amateurs.

You be surprised just how many so called amateurs report on objects missed my the powers at be, so I don't have an issue with anybody on this planet reporting what they see, NASA for one and others are always thank them for their feedback.

The satellites don't bother me, not one little bit. I do agree with you that I think that having global internet connectivity is extremely important, and I for one am all for it. Once Starship (which is classed as a 'super heavy' finally starts launching Starlink satellites, that will decrease launch prices and increase quantity deployment as from memory the Spaceship payload capacity is around 5 it 6 times larger (if I'm wrong let me know). I will admit it that I have absolutely no idea when Spaceship should be ready to use, yes I watched SN9 and SN10 launches, and landing last timeout (8 minutes later explosion).

I'm all for what SpaceX are doing. On a more selfish note, I hope that SpaceX go IPO in 2021/2022, I also can't wait for Rivian either (later this year), I can then add them both to my current portfolio.

 

[Cableguy]

we shouldn't be passing planetary defence to amateurs..

Haley got its name from the amateur astronomer that first spotted it. NASA even has a program (forgotten but not to oblivion) called SETI at Home that tries to use the common people's computer idle time to go through chunks of space data.
Amateur Astronomers are, to the astronomy world, the same as Indy Developers to the Software world... they get a lot more work done than the major players, and are the firsts to spot bugs and "demand" updates...
Just the thrill to be the one to name a celestial body... can you imagine that?

 

[kimstudio]

I just wonder who has the real right on this planet to approve this project? If every millionaire wants to launch their own starlink as a BUSINESS I guess one day we can not even observe the moon.

 

[Peter Simpson]

I just wonder who has the real right on this planet to approve this project?

On that side of the ocean anyway...

Federal Communications Commission

The United States of America

www.fcc.gov

 

[josejad]

Starlink satellites crossing the sky, just a few hours after their launch.
A week later they reach their final position and they are "less visibles".

Source:

Polémica con el brillo de los «trenes de satélites Starlink»

El pasado 24 de mayo Marco Langbroek grababa este vídeo de los primeros 60 satélites Starlink de SpaceX apenas unas horas después de su lanzamiento. En él se ve claramente como los satélites, uno detrás de otro, cruzan el cielo. Eso...

www.microsiervos.com

 

[Peter Simpson]

Starlink satellites crossing the sky, just a few hours after their launch.
A week later they reach their final position and they are "less visibles".

Source:

Polémica con el brillo de los «trenes de satélites Starlink»

El pasado 24 de mayo Marco Langbroek grababa este vídeo de los primeros 60 satélites Starlink de SpaceX apenas unas horas después de su lanzamiento. En él se ve claramente como los satélites, uno detrás de otro, cruzan el cielo. Eso...

www.microsiervos.com

If you use the satellite map link above, you'll see trails like that within a day or two of a launch. Wow what a view hey, hopefully the new coating will help cope with those reflections a bit better.

 

[rabbitBUSH]

Bringing fast internet access

Well I hope it will outdo my experience with satellite internet provision - I know what it costs and it wasn't high speed and was capped and shaped like a casino one-armed bandit.

So, do/ will those things get in the way of the remote sensing satellites that are possibly at higher "altitude"?

 

[Peter Simpson]

Well I hope it will outdo my experience with satellite internet provision

It definitely will do

So, do/ will those things get in the way of the remote sensing satellites that are possibly at higher "altitude"?

No because Starlink satellites orbit at around 350 miles up, which is a lot lower than your usual satellites. This is another reason why the ping is a lot lower than your usual internet satellite system.

 

[hatzisn]

This is a very interesting conversation. I did not know at all that some Space X satellites lost maneuvering capabilities. I think the worst fears of Ovelix are coming to be a reality. The sky might fall and hit us on the heads. We 'd better start keeping a menir rock with us too. Further more than jokes I believe it is also dangerous because in the rare case of extreme solar flares and following solar storms the satellites might go off completely as the inner electronics will be burned. This will render our planet a total mess both on ground and on "expecting sky rocks" falling on our heads and even if we recover sometime at the future and no "skies" fall on our heads with 62000 dead satellites orbiting our planet, it will be rendered a prison planet with launch capabilities only from Arctica/Antarctica. This means no sling shot launches to take advantage of the rotation of the earth.

 

[rabbitBUSH]

The sky might fall and hit us on the heads.

Between Pooh Bear, Tiga and Obelix - and us two @hatzisn - rock on - let's not lose hope Asterix will sort it out .... I love a good asterisk in the sky.

 

[hatzisn]

I just wonder who has the real right on this planet to approve this project? If every millionaire wants to launch their own starlink as a BUSINESS I guess one day we can not even observe the moon.

There are laws for space. I am not a lawyer but I think something is missing from these laws since they are reffering to the outer space:

Did We Just Detect Life on Venus?

September 14th, 2020 video

www.b4x.com

The rest of space between outer space and the ground I suppose was reserved for military reasons. But let's not disrespect Elon. Starlink is a step that will fund space exploration of SpaceX. Dangerous of course, but as we say here in Greece: if you don't get your butt wet, you will not catch any fish.

 

[josejad]

if you don't get your butt wet, you will not catch any fish.

Hey¡¡ We say the same thing here in Spain. "El que quiera peces que se moje el culo" (If you want fishes, get your butt wet)

 

[udg]

if you don't get your butt wet, you will not catch any fish.
El que quiera peces que se moje el culo

Hmm, it looks an odd way for fishing..we make use of a "safer" fishing rod

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

 

[hatzisn]

Hey¡¡ We say the same thing here in Spain. "El que quiera peces que se moje el culo" (If you want fishes, get your butt wet)

Do you by any chance live in southern spain?

 

[josejad]

Do you by any chance live in southern spain?

Yes, I was born at Jerez (sherry wine) and now I live in Seville

 

[Peter Simpson]

(sherry wine)

Cheers...

 

[hatzisn]

Yes, I was born at Jerez (sherry wine) and now I live in Seville

I asked you for a very special reason. Here it is:

When I was learning Italian I got used to it and eventually I became adequately good at it in writing, reading and chatting. On the other hand my listening was a big problem because I could only compresence words and small phrases. I decided to do something about it and I found a YouTube channel which has given homework to my ear and it eventually started to pick up most of the spoken Italian. This channel had a playlist which presented a lot of idiomatic expressions in modern Italian and I discovered that there is a tone of words and idiomatic expressions common in Greek and Italian (using the corresponding language of course for the phrases). As they say though in the "Pringles" advertisement, "after pop there is no stop". Beside this channel I started watching several Italian videos and in one of it having to do with the history of the Roman Empire, I learned something that completely surprised me and answered my questions in why there were so many common phrases and words between the two languages and why Rome is in the middle of Italy. I learned that in the southern Italy there have been colonizations by Ancient Greeks and the northern territories of modern Italy were habited by Etruscans. Eventually the Two communities wanted to trade with each other and they started traversing the whole territory of Italy North to South the Etruscans and South to North the Greek colonials. This was very tiring and resource consuming so the merchants from both communities decided to do the best for accessing both communities with less travelling. They decided to settle in Rome in the middle of the peninsula and thus according to this Italian historic video Rome gained population, power and knowledge from both communities and became from a small village a great empire which conquered most of the then known world. The mixing of the two communities has answered to me why there were so many common words and phrases between Greece and Italy and why the fans of Napoli are singing in the Football Stadiums "Siamo Partenopei" (we are descendants of the city founded for Parthenopi). Now you come here and you say to me that there is also in Spanish a saying of Greek and I conclude that either was passed by the mixing of the two communities or the area of the "Garden of Esperidans" as it is described in the "Battles of Hercules" the area of the southern Spain close to the straits of Gibraltar was indeed visited by ancient Greeks. The word "Esperidans" comes from word "Esperas" which means the hours after the afternoon (when the sun sets) in ancient Greek and they were the lands where the Sun would set (and I suppose it still sets there - for us easterns at least ).

 

[josejad]

Cheers...

If I go back England (I hope), I will carry a bottle of Sherry wine to drink with you.

BTW, Thanks to Downton Abbey , where in some scenes you could see them drinking Sherry wine... the sales started to growing up again after a few years being low