Blinded by the light: Satellites make it harder for astronomers to see, UA research says
nasa.gov
Three nanosatellites, known as Cubesats, are deployed from a Small Satellite Orbital Deployer.
As satellites fly across the sky at incredible speeds, they can also make astronomers' jobs harder on Earth.
New research shows satellites can be some of the brightest objects in the night sky.
Their movement can leave streaks behind in images as they reflect light from the sun back to Earth.
Some scientists are warning that as more companies launch satellite networks, such as Starlink, clear views of the night sky might become more rare.
An international team of researchers, including some from the University of Arizona, studied the brightness of the BlueWalker 3 prototype satellite from AST Space Mobile.
The researchers are calling for active tracking and avoidance strategies as satellite constellations become more common in the future.
Chris Gunn/NASA
The optics module of the James Webb Space Telescope's primary imager, the Near Infrared Camera, on July 27, 2013.
