Mastodawn

Prof. Sam Lawler

Alberta-based astrophotographer Alan Dyer posted this video of his night sky full of satellites https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZpbJJLk1ug

Video alt-text: A time-lapse of the Milky Way, with many satellite streaks crawling across it, continuously. At the end of the video, he stacks exposures, and the stars gradually disappear under a set of satellites streaks over the course of a couple hours.

The Satellite Strewn Sky

YouTube

@sundogplanets Yikes, I'm Alberta based too, and have a SeeStar telescope, but thankfully it stacks shorter exposures that often remove these annoying artifacts.

Prof. Sam Lawler 6d ago

@dansup Too bad there is no way to remove those annoying artifacts from my eyeballs when I go outside and look up :(

@sundogplanets yeah, it’s really unfortunate! Even way up north here in Grande Prairie, they are everywhere.

I’m glad I got my telescope now, because it’s going to be harder and harder to do astrophotography as they keep sending up more satellites.

Prof. Sam Lawler 6d ago

@dansup I've never been up there, but looks like you are far enough north that you are above the worst of the Starlink orbital caustic? At least, until they start filling up sun-synchronous polar orbits... sigh.

Sorry that was super depressing. I've been doing way too many future night sky simulations lately. I'm really glad you have a telescope and are getting out and enjoying the night sky!

@sundogplanets Don't be sorry, it really is frustrating!

I made this Loops video with a few of the best captures I got last month, I can't wait to go camping and get away from the light pollution and trees so I can take even better ones!

https://loops.video/v/fIeO1rqhB9

Sander VK6VCC 6d ago

@sundogplanets Gosh, that is depressing. 😢

Katzedecimal 6d ago

@sundogplanets
Wait, the Milky Way runs right through the middle of the Summer Triangle? I.... did not know that. The areas I've lived in have always been so light polluted, I've never seen it, all i can see is the Summer Triangle stars 😭

@sundogplanets These monsters would scratch the night sky itself making it unviewable beyond their highly reflective spacejunk.

@sundogplanets
What an aberration 🤮🤮🤮

Jim Jones 6d ago

@sundogplanets I shared Veritas Netbackup training a decade back with half the team from the Air Force that tracks objects in space.

Back then, they said that we wouldn't believe how many objects that they were tracking and that it made planning and maintaining space and satellite missions challenging. A lot of our lunch time discussions were them talking about various non-military ideas to try to remove some of those objects and make life easier for everyone.

Those sweet summer children...

1420 mhz 6d ago

@sundogplanets
Wait until we have to track a larger dark C or D-type NEO that turns out to be hazardous.
Even in the IR spectrum may be difficult.
Could be interesting.

HumanBeing 6d ago

@sundogplanets I had heard of people complaining about this. We do have a bunch of oligarchs we could shoot off in a couple of missiles or rockets to put an end to dictatorships and their minions. Based on this, it can happen really quickly and that would stop the satellites.

Go back to the 50s and 60s where we had ABC, NBC, CBS, and NET and keep it simple.

@sundogplanets "Grandpa, tell me again about when you could see the stars."

DeinFollower 😷6d ago

@sundogplanets
Shows how humanity is now striving for a place that stands above all the stars and planets in the universe.

Orlando 🇲🇽

@sundogplanets disappointing, so much pollution of the night sky, just for the profit of a few cynical... 🤬