Astronomers push for global debate on giant satellite swarms

Re:Astronomers push for global debate on giant satellite swarms by AQuantized on Tuesday July 20, 2021 @01:44PM (#27896798)

This isn't just Starlink. Of course, hopefully Starlink's satellites will adhere more closely to the agreed threshold in the future, but that isn't set in stone, and once this becomes a profitable industry it seems unlikely corners won't be cut and lawmakers lobbied like in any other sector.

Of course, even meeting the agreed threshold currently still renders them visible in telescopes, and that applies to amateurs as well.

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Re:Astronomers push for global debate on giant satellite swarms by Robotbeat on Tuesday July 20, 2021 @01:53PM (#27896934)

I think it be good idea to have international rules and regulations with common sense limits to continue and improve upon what SpaceX has done voluntarily.

I don’t think it should be surprising or considered bad that you can see objects in space with telescopes. I don’t think we should stop sending stuff into space just because it’s detectable with sensitive instruments (which doesn’t mean we shouldn’t try to find ways to make scientific observations coexist). But I can definitely see an argument for limiting naked eye visibility.

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