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#1 2019-11-21 05:38:35

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

Starlink - astronomers complain !

It never rains but it pours...now Starlink is under attack from astronomers for blocking their view of the stars....says "The Sun"...

https://www.thesun.co.uk/tech/10384295/ … iew-stars/

I suspect it's only a temporary thing...but this is a flavour of the attacks that will be launched on Mars colonisation in due course I think.

Last edited by louis (2019-11-21 07:18:42)


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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#2 2019-11-21 14:54:34

elderflower
Member
Registered: 2016-06-19
Posts: 1,262

Re: Starlink - astronomers complain !

In my opinion the Sun will say anything that it thinks will sell newspapers. I think it (and other similar papers) make up a headline knocking something, then go out and find some disgruntled expert whose words can be interpreted as supporting the initial thesis. Take all newspaper reports with a pinch of salt!

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#3 2019-11-21 15:25:58

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

Re: Starlink - astronomers complain !

The Sun is associated with Murdoch who is associated with satellite TV...so maybe there is a clash of interests. I guess if you can have internet from the Sky you can have internet TV from the Sky, rather than dedicated satellites carrying a few over-priced subscription channels.


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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#4 2019-11-21 17:35:04

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,750

Re: Starlink - astronomers complain !

The article did show up on more repretable websites with the stated issue for astronomy clutter looking outward from earth and from orbit.
That just means we need to start putting the telescopes further out such as on the moons dark side.

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#5 2019-11-22 03:38:09

Terraformer
Member
From: Ceres
Registered: 2007-08-27
Posts: 3,800
Website

Re: Starlink - astronomers complain !

He should mollify them by promising to launch a few dozen space telescopes, if they're provided to SpaceX.


"I'm gonna die surrounded by the biggest idiots in the galaxy." - If this forum was a Mars Colony

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#6 2019-11-22 17:44:25

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,750

Re: Starlink - astronomers complain !

Part of the problem for Nasa's astronomy telescopes currently is they are building the big flagship cost units that push the edge of technolgy while trying to peer deeper back in time towards the big bank, but was that the start or have we had multiple starts already.

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#7 2019-11-24 11:35:17

louis
Member
From: UK
Registered: 2008-03-24
Posts: 7,208

Re: Starlink - astronomers complain !

Some more info on the Starlink visibility issue - plus the scope for more collisions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaKD05FUvo8


Let's Go to Mars...Google on: Fast Track to Mars blogspot.com

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#8 2020-10-14 04:02:23

JMartin
Member
Registered: 2020-10-14
Posts: 15

Re: Starlink - astronomers complain !

Elon Musk and SpaceX seem like they're doing a lot more to get humanity out into space than the astronomers, and SpaceX needs funding from Starlink to make the Mars mission more likely.

I like astronomy, I think it's worthwhile, and I support it... but making humanity multiplanetary should be a higher priority right now. In the long term, astronomy itself would be better served by humanity being multiplanetary.  Imagine the benefits to astronomy from having a colony on Mars or on the Moon that could construct space telescopes and launch them into space more cheaply than we could on Earth because of the lower gravity...

Instead of complaining about SpaceX, the astronomers should be advocating for more NASA funding or something to address their problems.

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#9 2020-10-14 17:02:11

SpaceNut
Administrator
From: New Hampshire
Registered: 2004-07-22
Posts: 28,750

Re: Starlink - astronomers complain !

Welcome to NewMars JMartin, of course these satelites are high in orbit and lots of them as to why there is concern by astronomers even with the changing of the surface colors to try to blend in its still going to obscure some stars at some point.

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