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(meteorobs) Re; Light up the Night Sky
Hi, list:
I suspect this didn't get sent the first time I tried; if it's a repeat,
I apologize.
I don't think it's premature to be concerned about the idea of using
mirrors to light up cities from space. The Russians seem to be quite
serious about it. My planetarium has hosted some Russian cosmonauts as
part of a lecture series in town, and one came with video of a mirror
being tested from an unpiloted Progress spacecraft leaving the Mir space
station. Upcoming tests will be more sophisticated and brighter. I
have not been able to find information on the environmental impact of
this type of thing, whether it be light pollution, global weather
patterns, or effects on local plant growth. Has anyone else found
anything like that?
The "New Scientist" article about the mirror tests references the
International Dark-Sky Association, which I recommend to the attention
of any meteor observer.
Dave Hostetter