[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Re: (meteorobs) Iridium Flares
(Wellll, ONE more post... ;>)
LaRue, I understand your point that ground light pollution is far worse than
this problem right now... After all, though I can imagine how light-polluted
Phoenix is, thank your "lucky stars" you're not in Boston. ;>
Of course ground-based lights can be *turned off* (or replaced with full
cutoffs) whenever the light owner feels like or is forced to. And worst case, a
1, 2 or 3 hour drive will usually suffice to escape them...
Anyway, I guess everyone's worry is not with the current flashers - which are a
pain, more because a bright flare may impact night vision than that it might be
confused with a meteor. Rather, people are more worried about the future: not
only is the Iridium constellation not complete yet, but this will certainly NOT
be the last large satellite group of its kind.
There may well come a night (maybe within the decade!) when an object of
crescent moon brightness (-7) or worse is visible in the sky AT ALL TIMES: all
serious naked-eye astronomy (and probably much deep-sky) would basically come
to an end. Let alone the effect on professional research.
Waiting to complain about this until the objects are already up there (designed
and launched at a cost of billions) is not a good idea.
Just my say,
Lew