SpaceX Starlink

[w00dsy]

SpaceX are deploying satellites to provide a global internet service. They sent these ones up on Friday and they initially stay in train until they split apart into their own spots. Eventually there'll be 12,000 of them up there.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starlink

I didn't even realise this was a thing until yesterday when I saw a post on a local Facebook group to keep a lookout for them. Went outside at the time they were meant to go over and snapped this pic. It's really impressive to see a train of satellites in a row all lit up travelling across the sky. I have no idea when they go over again but I'm going to try and find out.

[norbs]

They are going to completely ruin astro photography.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jamiecarte ... 0980036010


Early after sun set and just before sunrise will just be a bunch of these bastard things.

[Dr. Pain]

It is. There are a lot of people pissed at this. They set up a nice long exposure and get this crap in it. My astronomy club here in Benalla post about it in emails so we can view it but also know when it's happening so not to ruin exposures.

Personally when I'm doing a long exposure at the CWA, I think some of the old dears might like something to ruin the view. Their loss!

[norbs]

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[durbster]

The Starlink thing is bizarre and stinks of a billionaire being able to do what he wants because he's a billionaire in the United States and therefore accountable to nobody.

I think in many ways Musk is the modern day Isambard Kingdom Brunel but this particular idea doesn't seem to have been very well considered, and the fact they can just chuck them up there with little apparent oversight is pretty worrying for the rest of the world.

[norbs]

The Starlink thing is bizarre and stinks of a billionaire being able to do what he wants because he's a billionaire in the United States and therefore accountable to nobody.

I think in many ways Musk is the modern day Isambard Kingdom Brunel but this particular idea doesn't seem to have been very well considered, and the fact they can just chuck them up there with little apparent oversight is pretty worrying for the rest of the world.

Yep, and imagine what it will be like with 12,000 of them up there.

[w00dsy]

It's no different to the rest of the world. We've fucked this place up building roads, houses, buildings etc but we tend to overlook it because we're selfish. It's only a matter of time before we mess up the sky too. Humans are the worst thing that happened to this planet. We're the only ones that make a big mess.

[norbs]

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/10/scie ... &smtyp=cur

[w00dsy]

I guess this is what happens when people bitch about crap internet. Billionaires take to the sky to try and sort it out.