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Starlink Satellites Tracker

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Re: Starlink Satellites Tracker

#51

Post by smeyer »

ortusdux wrote: post #41
cryptoz wrote: post #27

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Basically, the constellation's effect on the night sky is proportional to the number of launches in the last month, not the total number in orbit. For the major brightness issues sure, but they are not invisible or undetectable while in operation. Surely the effects are proportional to both the recent launches and the whole size. I think it's a bit early to dismiss the whole sky effect of multiple Starlink-style co…

The current satellite version (VisorSat) has a magnitude of about 6, which is generally considered to be the limit of what is visible with the naked eye in a light-pollution free area. Once you start using any optics they will be visible. https://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/2101/2101.00374.pdf#:~:te... . https://earthsky.org/astronomy-essentials/what-is-stellar-ma... I might sit down and do the math to see how 1500 sa…

>I might sit down and do the math to see how 1500 satellites at mag 6 compares to 60 at mag 2.

Every 5 astronomical magnitudes corresponds to a factor of 100 difference in brightness, so magnitude 2 is (100^0.2)^4 or about 40 times brighter than magnitude 6. So they're pretty similar, 1500 satellites at magnitude 6 are about 2/3 as bright as 60 satellites at magnitude 2.

Re: Starlink Satellites Tracker

#53

Post by fighterpilot »

gambiting wrote: post #48
fighterpilot wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's the same argument as for a carbon tax. It's imperfect, because the benefit only flows to the local government (when the commons is globally shared, as you point out), but it's the best practical solution since it broadly aligns incentives with that of the commons. Your solution to simply deprive rural communities/poor countries of internet access is a non-starter . What you're ignoring is that the positive exter…

But Starlink isn't, wasn't, and never will be "for providing internet to poorer countries". It's always going to be first and foremost about selling internet to people in wealthy countries in areas without good local internet options. Are we really pretending that people in "poor countries" can afford the cost of the equipment and the subscription? Or that Elon Musk is doing this as some kind of charity? The main pro…

> selling internet to people in wealthy countries in areas without good local internet options

Even if I grant you that it's not going to be about supplying internet to poorer countries, this reason alone is sufficient. Depriving rural communities of internet over such a small negative externality is a non-starter.

> literally no one else except for Americans has any say in it

Poland emits significant amounts of carbon pollution, which impacts me, and I have no say in it.

Some negative externalities in the global commons is inevitable. You, personally, are contributing to that. Your weather and GPS satellites are contributing to it.

The solution therefore can't be a puritanical "I will not allow any global externalities whatsoever.". It's an impractical non-starter and a rule that nobody anywhere follows nor should they try to follow it.

Re: Starlink Satellites Tracker

#55

Post by spaceywilly »

fasteddie31003 wrote: post #13

I was just outside randomly when I saw the train of lights. It was honestly one of the most impressive things I've ever seen.

Same here! Randomly got out of the car last night at saw a string of them cruising through the sky. It’s really impressive to see, I’ll encourage my friends to use this site to find out when they can see them

Re: Starlink Satellites Tracker

#56

Post by User23 »

Diederich wrote: post #42
User23 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That depends on how dark the area is. I heard that in a Bortle 5 or lower area they are naked eye visible, which really sucks for stargazers. Especially since some of the more interesting naked eye observations have to be done using peripheral vision.

I know that these sats will affect many telescopic observations, but that's been happening a long time. I understand that this interference will end up being several times more frequent. However, for many years, satellite streaks have been algorithmically removed from observations. It's possible that those algorithms will need to be upgraded. That's a small price to pay in exchange for robust and high speed Internet…

I have a Starlink deposit down and I still have my doubts about the merits of that trade-off. My reasoning is amateur astronomy is ruined anyhow so I may as well be able to stream Netflix on more devices and as a side benefit tech monopolies will be able to further extend their influence.

Which, frankly, feels rather sordid.

And in any event Starlink is nothing compared to the assholes planning satellite billboards.

Re: Starlink Satellites Tracker

#57

Post by vultour »

anonyxyz wrote: post #44
Kiro wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So what? What is the higher purpose of not "polluting" the night sky?

It's introducing a fuck ton of low orbit debris that is already interfering with astronomical research. Satellites that fail or break are stuck up there.

Defunct low orbit satellites are not a giant issue as they deorbit relatively quickly.

Re: Starlink Satellites Tracker

#58

Post by trothamel »

grecy wrote: post #36
ortusdux wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Absolutely! Things will be really interesting when they can use Starships to launch batches. I've seen estimates that they could launch 600 starlink satellites at a time. They could theatrically also launch fewer, but put them all the way into their final orbit, skipping the few weeks of light pollution.

> They could theatrically also launch fewer, but put them all the way into their final orbit I wonder if they might choose to do this so the sats keep more of their onboard fuel, and will be able to keep themselves in orbit a bit longer before the inevitable re-entry burn up.

Re-entry is a bit of a feature, though - should a satellite be DOA, it will be in a low orbit and burn up faster.

Re: Starlink Satellites Tracker

#59

Post by reaperducer »

It's interesting to see so many of these satellites are listed as "Bright" in my area.

Before the launches, the HN crowd promised repeatedly that nobody would be able to see these satellites and they would not change the night sky at all, and that that looking up in wonder is only something that old people and luddites do, because nothing is more important than global always-on sacred holy internet access.

Re: Starlink Satellites Tracker

#60

Post by hellbannedguy »

fasteddie31003 wrote: post #13

I was just outside randomly when I saw the train of lights. It was honestly one of the most impressive things I've ever seen.

I couldn't sleep two nights ago, and went outside at around 5 am. I looked up, and was astonished. It was a full moon I think, and the satellights looked magnificent. Those satellites will steer a lot of young kids into science. I was to young to fully appreciate us going to the moon, but seeing a perfectly spaced row of "stars" above my home while the neighborhood was dead silent was something I will always remember.

This was in the Bay Area. I'm living in Fairfax now.

I have been following Starlink since. I haven't had much luck. I thought their telemetry could be configured within seconds, but I guess their are other variables according to Startlink? Oh yea---there is part of me hoping man doesn't overdo it though. This was great, but thousands would be another story.

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