Should we be concerned?

[PlanetGazer]

Straight to the topic:

 

This may affect our skies and our hobby completely. The video:

 

 

[Mr niall]

They're already doing it. Generally these things are tiny when they're launched and only visible for a few mins after reaching orbit anyway.

Either way, I don't think I've ever spent more than half an hour at the scope and not seen something zoom through the eyepiece. I think critical mass would have to be pretty high for it to become a real issue, there's plenty of junk up there already!

[xtreemchaos]

yes its going to be a bain to us astronomers, more so for imagers, these will be closer and maybe brighter than most , im not looking forward to them we have enough up there allready. charl.

[Ouroboros]

I doubt complaints from amatuer astronomers will make much difference. 

But what about professional astronomers?  Most of their work involves imaging. How do they feel about it? 

[Gina]

I've captured satellites in my frames though aircraft are more of a problem so far.

[maw lod qan]

I can only speak for wide field meteor imaging, but here in central Fla aircraft are much more of an issue. 

Certain departure times will have one after another for several minutes.

[Carbon Brush]

Around 10 years ago I remember checking for mag 6 (I think) or brighter orbiting objects in my bit of the sky for a 3 hour slot.
There were more than 200 objects listed.

I very much doubt the sky is any clearer now.

Off topic. If you are wondering on the checking..... I had invited some friends to view the Perseids.
There was an after sunset ISS pass but I wondered if there was something else moving in case the Perseids were slow to get going.

David.

 

[JeremyS]

Many professional and amateur groups have registered their displeasure:  https://britastro.org/node/18560

[SteveNickolls]

Hi and thanks for posting.

I'm really hoping that despite the number of these (and other organisation's) satellites that are due to go up into LEO the stacking software will remove them. My own interest is with wide field imaging so more satellites are to be expected in individual exposures. I have put a temporary hold on buying new gear to see how things go this season.

In the UK we only get a relatively small number of clear night's for imaging, in the three years I've been imaging this has varied between 30 and 44 occasions each year. When a future cargo launch of satellites is launched we are likely to endure the initial train of satellites which if this coincides with a clear night has the chance to scupper that evening's work. This year Space X are meant to be launching 5 more of these satellite groups and have up to 12,000 satellites to place, that could mean 200 launches. I understood the craft have a lifespan of 5 years so to keep numbers of the constellation up continual launches will take place. This is just for Space X. I don't envisage changing my sport to imaging satellite trains.

Time of course will tell.

Best regards,
Steve

 

[barkis]

We ought to be concerned, I'm not sure at all If there is a regulative body controlling near earth space, but
there damn well should be, before it gets as clogged up as the early morning M25 Ring road.
Of course  World Wide fast Internet should be made available to all, but perhaps strategically placed Geo Stationary relays could be
the way, instead of thousands of these So called Star Link orbiters. It works well for the likes of Sky TV So why not for Internet Comms.
 

 I fear accidents are very likely in such a crowded area of space, 
and heaven forbid a collision with the ISS. Things do go wrong in even  carefully planned  orbital  insertions.
Ron.