Satellite Streaks Increasingly Disrupt Hubble Telescope Images
WASHINGTON, D.C. - A new analysis of two decades of images captured by the Hubble Space telescope reveals that satellite trails are appearing in 2.7 percent of long-exposure photographs, threatening the quality of astronomical observations. The findings, published this week in Nature, highlight a growing challenge for space-based astronomy as the number of satellites in low Earth orbit rapidly increases.
the proliferation of satellite constellations, driven by companies aiming to provide global internet access, is creating light pollution that interferes with sensitive telescope readings.Researchers examined Hubble images taken between 2002 and 2021, discovering that roughly one in 37 images with typical 11-minute exposures contained at least one satellite streak.This contamination poses a notable problem for astronomers relying on Hubble’s data for groundbreaking discoveries.
The study’s authors propose mitigating the issue by deploying satellites into lower orbits, tho they caution that such a solution could have unintended consequences for Earth’s ozone layer. They also advocate for improved prediction, modeling, and correction techniques to remove unwanted light from satellite reflections in scientific observations.
“Our results demonstrate that light contamination is a growing threat for space telescope operations,” the researchers wrote in their published paper. “We propose a series of actions to minimize the impact of satellite constellations,allowing researchers to predict,model and correct unwanted satellite light pollution from science observations.”
Experts predict a dramatic increase in the number of artificial satellites-potentially 20 to 100 times higher-as commercial space ventures expand. This escalating trend challenges the long-held assumption that space telescopes are immune to terrestrial light interference.
Notably, the James Webb Space Telescope, orbiting the Sun at approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, is not affected by this issue. However, the growing problem underscores the need for proactive solutions to protect the future of space-based astronomical research.
