• fennec@feddit.de
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    1 year ago

    With all these SpaceX satellites deployed I’ve been wondering how so many people still got unaffected shots.

    • 15Redstones@feddit.de
      link
      fedilink
      arrow-up
      3
      ·
      edit-2
      1 year ago

      Because SpaceX satellites are coated in special reflective materials to reduce brightness. That requires the satellite to be oriented the right way to reflect the light from the sun away from the planet, so it only reduces brightness of the satellites in the operational orbit. Satellites immediately after deployment or in space debris dodging mode are far more visible.

      • Goldenderp@lemmy.world
        link
        fedilink
        arrow-up
        1
        ·
        1 year ago

        For some cases that doesn’t really help. For example if you do a large survey of the sky for transient peak detection you don’t have the time to spend multiple lights on a single part of the sky. I’m not sure if the satellite trail removal is helpful for that, but the trails themselves are certainly an issue for sky surveys.