ESO study says proposed satellite megaconstellations could brighten the night sky and hinder ground-based astronomy
The Facts
- A new study by the European Southern Observatory says current proposals for satellite megaconstellations could have major negative effects on ground-based astronomy by brightening the night sky.
- The study says proposals now under discussion total more than 1.7 million satellites in low Earth orbit.
- The researchers say Earth currently has about 14,000 active or orbiting satellites, and that the total has risen rapidly since 2019.
- According to the study, keeping the total below about 100,000 satellites that are faint enough not to be visible to the naked eye would help preserve astronomers' ability to observe the night sky.
- The study is described as the first to estimate how much large, bright satellite constellations would affect astronomy by increasing overall sky brightness, beyond the already known problem of satellite trails crossing telescope images.
- The findings matter for observations of faint and distant targets, with sources saying brighter skies would make it harder for telescopes to detect objects such as distant galaxies, exoplanets and potentially hazardous asteroids.
- Companies cited in coverage of the study include SpaceX, which is linked to plans for up to 1 million additional satellites, and Reflect Orbital, which has proposed reflective satellites that would send sunlight to Earth at night.
- What happens next remains unresolved because the study presents a scientific threshold and warning, while the proposed satellite deployments would still depend on regulatory approvals and industry decisions.
How left and right are reading this
- Both agree
- Proposals on the table would expand orbit far beyond a threshold the study says would better preserve astronomy, making brighter skies a real cost of satellite growth.
- They split on
- Whether the story is about protecting a shared night sky and the science it enables, or about enforcing clear limits once researchers identify a threshold for harm.
Analytical frames for this storyTap to explore
Context
What is new in this study?
Multiple reports say the study is the first to calculate how much large, bright satellite constellations would affect astronomy by making the night sky itself brighter, not only by leaving streaks across telescope images Yahoo!,Dawn,La Presse.ca.
Why does a brighter night sky matter to astronomers?
A brighter background sky reduces contrast, making faint objects harder to detect. Sources say that would hinder observations of distant galaxies, Earth-like exoplanets and asteroids from ground-based telescopes LaVanguardia,Notícias ao Minuto,Earth.com.
What limit do the researchers propose?
The study says Earth orbit should stay below about 100,000 satellites, and that those satellites should be faint enough not to be visible to the naked eye from dark sites, in order to preserve the ability to observe the sky from Earth Deutschlandfunk Nova,LaVanguardia,Gizmodo.
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Wire services (1)
Independent coverage (50)
Blog do EsmaelAmazon diz que tem satélites para lançar serviço Leo
T-online.deSpaceX-Pläne alarmieren Forscher: Eine Million Satelliten hä...
Gizmodo en EspañolEl Observatorio Europeo del Sur ha detectado que no puede ha...
elEconomista.esAdiós al cielo estrellado: las "consecuencias devastadoras" ...
The Globe and MailMorning Update: Space traffic is becoming a nightmare
Yahoo!Las constelaciones de satélites pueden tener "consecuencias ...
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India Today10,00,000 satellites in space: Scientists warn how it could ...
Deutschlandfunk NovaBald mehr Satelliten als Sterne am Nachthimmel
The News International1.7 million planned satellites could devastate astronomy, sc...
경향신문No use hiding in mountains or deserts... The 'era of neutral...
euronewsEstudo alerta: 1,7 milhões de satélites planeados ameaçam as...
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DawnPlanned 1.7m satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: study
Forbes1.7 Million Satellites Will Have 'Devastating Consequences,'...
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WION1.7 million satellites could end astronomy as we know it and...
Franceinfo"On va vraiment avoir des problèmes" : la multiplication des...
Olhar Digital - O futuro passa primeiro aquiExcesso de satélites coloca órbita da Terra sob pressão
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Common DreamsAstronomers Denounce Elon Musk-Led Plan to Pollute Earth's O...
Olhar Digital - O futuro passa primeiro aquiCéu em risco: excesso de satélites pode tornar a astronomia ...
Folha - PEConstelações de satélites podem ameaçar a astronomia, alerta...
O PovoConstelações de satélites podem ameaçar a astronomia, alerta...
Euronews DeutschStudie: Geplante 1,7 Millionen Satelliten verheerend für Ast...
Earth.comThe dark night sky could vanish behind 1.7 million satellite...
Proceso HnEl ESO advierte del peligro que supondrían 1.7 millones de s...
Space.comThe growing number of satellites in orbit could soon make te...
YahooThe growing number of satellites in orbit could soon make te...
Euronews EnglishPlanned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy, ...
KultureGeekESO : une étude conclut que l'orbite terrestre ne devrait pa...
FuturaLes astronomes tirent la sonnette d'alarme : l'humanité risq...
La Presse.caConstellations de satellites | Un danger pour le ciel noctur...
Jornal Estado de Minas | Not�cias OnlineConstelações de satélites podem ameaçar a astronomia, alerta...
CNHI NewsPlanned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: ...
ObservadorEstudo alerta: 1,7 milhões de novos satélites terão "consequ...
Phys.orgOrbit overload could devastate astronomy if 1.7 million prop...
GizmodoESO Study Finds That No More Than 100,000 Satellites Should ...
La Voix du Nord" La question, c'est comment arriver à vivre ensemble " : le...
The Straits TimesPlanned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: ...
GalileuPlano de ter 1,7 milhão de satélites no espaço é ameaça grav...
RTL TodayPlanned 1.7 million satellites 'devastating' for astronomy: ...
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LaSextaMás allá del límite: un millón de satélites y espejos amenaz...
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