Satellite Swarm

[eleeski]

Last night I saw an impressive display in the sky. My lake is pretty dark sky so satellite watching is an evening entertainment. I always wish upon a satellite - good luck from our wonderful tech on display.

 

Last night, it was weird. I saw a satellite, then another following it. OK, that was interesting. Then another? 20 seconds later, another. Another! This went on for half an hour. An amazing show.

 

Elon Musk's Spacex is deploying the Starlink constellation of satellites to provide internet to the world where reception is otherwise unavailable. A lofty and worthwhile goal but creating problems for astronomers. Pretty for the casual observer.

 

Eric

[eleeski]

 

[skialex]

Or... was it?.... :)

[eleeski]

Image from a cracked lens on a phone camera with my palsied hand holding. The bright "star" is Venus, the brightest object in the sky other than the sun and moon. The visible dot to the right is one of the satellites. Brighter than anything else in the sky but Venus!

 

Look for them next clear dark night.

 

Eric

[LoopSki]

My ZO was acting funny yesterday hmmm

[T_C]

I have seen them as well they move from west to east. I see them just before the sun comes up every morning that it is clear.

[eleeski]

@T_C I try to avoid sunrises. That's just staying up too late. My insomnia isn't that advanced.

 

The swarm is supposedly in a low orbit. So the window of visibility is not long. I saw them for at least an hour after full darkness. They were so bright that they were visible fairly low to the horizon. Eventually, they are supposed to go higher and will be visible longer, dimmer and more spread out.

 

I'm worried about 1984 taking over society (already happened?). But maybe Terminator's Skynet is what is really going on. Next shortage: tinfoil for our head coverings.

 

Eric

[T_C]

Last time i saw them I counted 50 spaced about 4-5 seconds apart.

[The_MS]

The question I have is how do they get them all to travel in different directions? I always thought that orbit was the same direction.

[robmollysilverlake]

I saw them last summer, was walking home with a friend from NYC talking about the stars and then the satellites started crossing the sky. I had no idea what it was, but we looked it up when we got home because I was telling him in all the years I've been looking at the stars I've never seen anything like that before!

[thager]

Cylons!

 

[eleeski]

@The_MS They were all in a line last night. Over time they might scatter. But now they are in a west to east general direction.

 

Eric