Dark skies and bright satellites
Science2020Vol. 369(6511), pp. 1543–1543
Abstract
Most ground-based observatories require a dark night sky to uncover answers to some of the most fundamental questions about the nature of our Universe. However, a number of companies and governments are in various stages of planning or deploying bright satellites in low-Earth orbit (or LEOsats) in greater numbers than ever before. These “megaconstellations” will fundamentally change astronomical observing at visible wavelengths. Nighttime images will be contaminated by streaks caused by the passage of Sun-illuminated satellites. If proposals calling for 100,000 or more LEOsats are realized, no combination of mitigations will be able to fully avoid the negative impact on astronomy.
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