Elon Musk’s company SpaceX launched 60 small satellites on May 23 as the beginning of the company’s Starlink program. They’re the vanguard of a planned 12,000-satellite-strong constellation that Musk intends to serve as the infrastructure for a cheap global satellite internet system.
The launch was successful — though it’s just the first step toward that goal. But groups of astronomers around the globe see potential problems in the bright light reflected off the satellites’ shiny exteriors.
Observers worldwide have been watching the bright satellites streak across the sky even with the naked eye. And now scientists are concerned that the satellites could eventually outnumber the visible stars in the night sky. That could prevent both scientists and more casual observers from getting a clear view of the cosmos.
Thousands of astronomers from around the world gathered in St. Louis, Missouri this week for the 234th meeting of the American Astronomical ...
