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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