A NASA cosmonaut captured brilliant specks of light floating above Earth ’s apparent horizon , dance around in space . But rather than this being a celestial admiration , it ’s actually a human - made phenomenon take on over Earth ’s arena .
Earlier this week , astronaut Don Pettitshareda video he had captured while on board the International Space Station ( ISS ) . The video showed a group of flickering aim vaporize 250 mile ( 400 km ) above Earth ’s surface . Pettit referred to the breathtaking scene as “ cosmic Pyrophorus noctiluca ” before giving us a reality checkout of what those glimmering lights are . “ Actually , these are Starlink satellites momentarily flashing sunshine towards the [ ISS ] , ” Pettit compose .
Cosmic firefly . Actually , these are Starlink satellites momently scoot sunlight towards@Space_Station.pic.twitter.com/rOKUdLlP3f
NASA astronaut Don Pettit captured this image of cosmic fireflies from the ISS.Don Pettit/X
— Don Pettit ( @astro_Pettit)December 1 , 2024
Bummer , right ? The video that initially inspires cosmic wonder is actually a reflection of the world of low Earth orbit today , littered with human - made object that interfere with its natural beauty .
SpaceX first started launch its Starlink satellites in 2019 as a style to beam connectivity to remote country or areas where cyberspace connexion is not dependable . There are more than 6,700 Starlinks presently in orbit , and that number is only increasing as SpaceX uses its Falcon 9 garden rocket to launch mess of the satellite to moo Earth orbit .
The orbiting satellites have astronomer care as they add a raft of dissonance to images captured by soil - found observatories , which they do by reflect sunlight the same way that appears in Pettit ’s video . Thesatellites mess with scientific datum , look as bright bar in astronomical images .
This is only the outset as SpaceX wants to set up upwards of 42,000 of its net orbiter to orbit , although so far the Federal Aviation Administration has grant the company favorable reception to launch 12,000 Starlinks . And that ’s not to speak of other pending megaconstellations , including China ’s “ Thousand Sails ” initiative , which could admit upwards of 13,000 satellite .
Earlier this year , SpaceX began launch unmediated - to - electric cell ( DTC ) Starlink satellites , which arefive time shining than the eternal sleep of the broadband constellation , a late study find . The DTC orbiter , according to the study , may seem bright due to their lower EL . Regular Starlink artificial satellite orbit at an altitude of 340 miles ( 550 kilometers ) above Earth ’s Earth’s surface , while their DTC equipped counterpart orbit at a much closer distance of 217 nautical mile ( 350 kilometers ) . Satellites in humble Earth ambit circulate the major planet once every 90 min , and seem wider , or out of focus , when get word through telescope , which further dilutes their sparkle .
SpaceX is operate with the International Astronomical Union and other astronomy mathematical group on ways to mitigate Starlink ’s hindrance with observations of the cosmos by reducing their reflexion either by change the preference of the solar panel or installing a “ parasol ” on the satellite . Those idea are still in procession , and SpaceX is n’t slow down down on building its megaconstellation in the meantime .
external space stationNASASPACEXStarlink
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