SpaceX satellites could blight the night sky, warn astronomers

[fancy ghost ☂]

I get that Earth-based observatories are wildly cheaper than satellite arrays but we've nearly maxxed out our potential for terrestrial observation, virtual telescopes already blow any physical observatory out of the water, I can't help but see this as much ado about nothing

[Clovis]

There's some concern about the Starlink satellites interfering with radio telescopes. We'll have to wait and see, but I wouldn't say it's "much ado about nothing", at least not yet.

[fancy ghost ☂]

Shame on me, then. I've seen two or three stories identical to this one, only talking about the woes of observatories, but I can't shake the feeling that their grumbles are little more than grumbles.

I'd still be in favor of reducing albedo in any way possible but I don't think SpaceX satellites will blot out the sun anytime soon

[PiddlezMcFuzz]

https://youtu.be/T6v47CmRA7A

Considering that they are as bright as the stars in the sky around dusk, I'd say that pretty much all of the concerns are valid

This shit will only get worse the more satellites are up there.

[Morgen]

Sounds like SpaceX will be able to make improvements for subsequent launches, probably less noticeable once they have spread out as well.

[swebonny]

I think there a still a lot of potential in earth-based observatories. I mean we the gigantic international Square Kilometer Array being built right now. The Extremely Large Telecope, 30 meter telescope, and a bunch of other ones. So they're not exactly a dying breed.

The concern is definitely legit in my opinion. But of course, we have to wait and see for the actual effects of the constellation.