The Brightened Night Sky Nobody Actually Wanted

• A new study reveals that a California company, Reflect Orbital, plans to deploy 50,000 satellites in orbit, each with a 54 by 54 metre mirror, to beam sunlight down to Earth after dark. The satellites, including the test satellite Eärendil-1, are designed to create a 2.5 kilometre patch of daylight on the ground. The study models how the light from these satellites would scatter in the atmosphere, with the direct beam from a single satellite being as bright as magnitude -16.7, about four magnitudes brighter than a full moon. The scattered glow from the satellites would outshine moonlight from 34 kilometres away and would create a diffuse background resembling dusk.

• The study highlights that the proposed orbital light sources would have a significant impact on the night sky, potentially altering the visibility of stars and creating a brighter, less natural sky. The company has already cleared the FCC for the project, with the argument that light pollution and astronomical interference are not the FCC's responsibility. The article underscores the lack of public input on the issue and the potential impact on dark sky regions, such as rural Pennsylvania, where the night sky is already rare.

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