Orbs of lights in the night sky: Hundreds of Starlink satellites from Elon Musk orbit the earth. The SpaceX project is criticized by astronomers.
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In the night sky, the Starlink satellites can be seen with the naked eye. (Icon image)
Photo: panthermedia.net/AlexGukBO
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The pictures are a little reminiscent of the Spielberg streak “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”: Many people observed light balls in chain formation and illuminated points in the night sky, also over Germany.
For some time now, the mysterious points of light have appeared as if strung on a string of pearls. Are they UFOs?
Starlink: Elon Musk plans to start operations in the United States soon
“There are satellites flying in close succession,” said the European space agency Esa. The phenomenon will be observed for a few more days.
Images of the Planetarium Potsdam show the objects:
#Starlink-Satellites … Recently this one #Time lapse– Recording by our moderator Constantin Walz near #Potsdam added. We can guess what will soon bloom in the night sky. In a few years, 12,000 of these satellites will orbit our earth. pic.twitter.com/auTaEBuTNt
– Planetarium Potsdam (@PlanetariumPots) April 23, 2020
Successful deployment of 60 Starlink satellites confirmed pic.twitter.com/h3e6QmKRue
Job search for engineers
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) April 22, 2020
Tesla boss Elon Musk is behind the sky signs. Or rather his space company SpaceX. The satellites are part of his Starlink project. SpaceX plans to send between 12,000 and 42,000 satellites into orbit. A few hundred already circle the earth.
++ SpaceX flies NASA astronauts to the ISS ++
This is to create a global broadband internet belt around the world. In particular, areas in rural areas are to be provided with fast and inexpensive Internet that previously had difficulties with well-functioning access.
Starlink: Elon Musk plans to start operations in the United States soon
The satellites fly in low orbits around the planet, receive data from ground stations and can pass on the information to each other via laser. According to SpaceX boss Elon Musk, the launch of the offer in the USA is already possible with 500 satellites. Worldwide coverage would then be possible with around 1,200 satellites. The idea is that the more satellites in orbit, the faster the internet connection.
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Starlink plans to start operations in the United States in summer 2020, when 500 satellites should be in orbit. Because the satellites are relatively close to each other after launch and move very low in orbit, they are very noticeable: observers can easily see the more than 200 kilos with the naked eye – especially since there have been good visibility conditions with clear skies for weeks.
#Starlink satellites over Leipzig, Germany. 20.02.2020. ???? NightCap and iPhone. pic.twitter.com/hFfb9ij1A1
– Dr. Manuela rossol ????️???????????????????? (@astromonocyte) April 20, 2020
The satellites are best seen during the first hour or two after sunset, according to Esa. Because then the surface of the satellites reflects the rest of the sunlight. Like other satellites or the International Space Station (ISS), the objects are also illuminated by the sun and then appear glowing in the sky. However, the pearl necklace structure dissolves over time. However, astronomers criticize that at some point more satellites than stars could be seen in the night sky.
In addition, critics note that the Starlink satellites may orbit and collide with other satellites. It is also unclear what will happen to the discarded objects at some point. So far, such satellites have been brought to a controlled crash or fuel reserves have been moved into the so-called cemetery orbit, where they orbit around the world without any tasks. So far there are no clear rules for this.
Starlink: SpaceX boss Elon Musk promises darker satellites
After all: SpaceX boss Elon Musk has now promised to make the satellites darker in the future so that they reflect less sunlight. The view of the stars should then remain clear. However, experts point out that the objects will then absorb more sunlight, which in turn could affect the functionality.
Thanks! We are taking some key steps to reduce satellite brightness btw. Should be much less noticeable during orbit raise by changing solar panel angle & all sats get sunshades starting with launch 9.
– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 22, 2020
++ Read also: Interview with astronaut Ulrich Walter. “Starlink is a milestone like the Internet ++
In Frankfurt, the Starlink fleet can also be seen in the early morning. You can also see them well from Berlin, southern Germany, northern Hesse and the Rhine region. The website Findstarlink shows where and when the phenomenon can be observed. Accordingly, the satellites can be seen well in the following days, for example at the following locations:
- Cologne:
- 24.4 .: 22.11 p.m.
- April 25: 5.15 a.m.
- April 26: 9:47 p.m.
- 28.4 .: 5.27 a.m.
- April 29: 9:58 p.m.
- 30.4 .: 5.02 a.m. and 10.34 p.m.
- 1.5 .: 4.04 a.m.
- 2.5 .: 4.39 a.m. and 10.51 p.m.
- 4.5 .: 10:26 p.m.
- 6.5 .: 22.02 p.m.
- Hamburg:
- 24.4 .: 4.40 a.m.
- April 25: 5.16 a.m. and 9.11 p.m.,
- April 26: 9:47 p.m.
- April 27: 4.51 a.m. and 10.23 p.m.
- April 28: 3.52 a.m. and 9.23 p.m.
- April 29: 2.54 a.m.
- 2.5 .: 3.07 a.m.
- 3 May: 11:27 p.m.
- 4.5 .: 22.27 p.m.
- 5.5 .: 23.02 p.m.
- Dusseldorf:
- 24.4 .: 10 p.m.
- April 25: 5 a.m.
- April 26: 9:47 p.m.
- 28.4 .: 5.27 a.m. and 10.58 p.m.
- April 29: 9:58 p.m.
- 1.5 .: 4.04 a.m.
- 2.5 .: 4.39 a.m. and 10.51 p.m.
- 5.5 .: 0.02 a.m. and 9.26 p.m.
- Munich:
- 26.4 .: 9.48 p.m.
- April 27: 4.52 a.m.
- 28.4 .: 5.28 a.m.
- May 1: 9:35 p.m.
- May 2: 4.39 a.m.
- 3.5 .: 3.44 a.m.
- 5.5 .: 11.03 p.m. (rather poor visibility)
- Berlin:
- 1.5 .: 4.04 a.m. and 9.45 p.m.
- 2.5 .: 3.07 a.m.
- 3.5 .: 23.28 p.m.
- 6.5 .: 22.03 p.m.
Especially last Thursday, observers had a fascinating picture: around 10 p.m., the Starlink fairy lights were particularly clear to see. Only the day before, 60 satellites were launched, which moved from west to east as a chain across the sky.
Also read:
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Private space travel is catching up
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