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Astronomers Take a Stand Against Starlink Satellite Mega-Constellations
Following a study published by researchers at Caltech’s Palomar Observatory on January 14th, which outlined the effects of Starlink satellites on twilight astronomical observations, the International Astronomical Union (IAU) has just announced it will be creating a center aimed at addressing this issue. This new center will be called the Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference and will have the mission of working with companies like Starlink and lobbying for laws to protect the night sky.
What are mega-constellations and what are they doing?
Ground-based astronomical observations are being “photobombed” by satellite mega-constellations. This is especially concerning for twilight observations, where they are more visible due to their angle. These satellites are primarily an issue after they have recently launched when they are closer to the ground and thus appear larger in astrophotography.
The good news is that SpaceX Starlink satellites do not tend to disrupt observations taken after twilight once they reach their final altitude. This may not be the case with other mega-constellations, which may orbit further up, interfering with astronomical observations regardless of the time of day.
