lights in the sky

RobK (Rob) · #1 04-12-2019, 10:06 PM

About 2145 to 2150 tonight I saw a string of moving lights, all equal distance apart, travelling approximately SW to NE and moving quickly.

Anybody have any idea what they may have been.
I suspect high flying aircraft but there was a lot. If it was a singular light I would have said it was a satellite.

RKenning (Robert) · #2 04-12-2019, 10:15 PM

Probably Elon Musks satellites. He's put batches of them up there.

Buck · #3 04-12-2019, 10:52 PM

You didn't happen to notice a tiny sleigh at the end of the "string" of lights did you? Often sighted at this time of the year.

RobK (Rob) · #4 05-12-2019, 08:38 AM

You never ask, you never know.

More than likely Musk's satellites. Didn't know they existed so looked up on web this morning.

Couldn't have been Santa cos I been bad. Spent more money on an eyepiece

AstralTraveller (David) · #5 05-12-2019, 09:32 AM

I saw them too Rob and wondered what they were. Clearly satellites and in two sets of about 6-7 a few minutes apart. They were moving about the typical speed of a low-orbit satellite like the IIS.

Not happy Jan.

see also https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/...onomy/11761484

JA · #6 06-12-2019, 01:27 PM

AMAZING: herein is a video link to the stream of lights....

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-12-...36?pfmredir=sm

Best
JA

sandevils67 (WillS) · #7 06-12-2019, 08:50 PM

Hi, the satellites you saw WERE Elon Musks new venture from SpaceX to create an umbrella of satellites around the Earth. That's so he can supply hi speed internet to Nth America / Canada and eventually all of us. To date he has launched two lots of 60 from his reusable Falcon 9 heavy lift rockets. In all that's 120 satellites in LEO (low earth orbit). The ones launched last week are orbiting at about 280 klms up.

The first lot of 60 was back in April / May I think and traveled Nth Wst to Sth East. Last week's 60 were from Sth Wst to Nth East. From the last 60 he lost 2 or 3 due to malfunction. They will eventually be de-orbited and burn up on reentry. Musk's latest spaceship for Mars was pressure tested last week and blew up over in the USA. It's nitrogen tanks exploded - but he'll get it right.

That spaceship (they call it STARSHIP) is made of stainless steel. They are destined for the moon and mars and are made of stainless steel. It exploded in Texas.

Hope that answers your question.

CeratodusDuck (George) · #8 06-12-2019, 09:09 PM

2105 and I just counted 10 in a row. The leading pair were spaced horizontally apart with one noticeably brighter than the other, with all the following ones not so bright. Interestingly saw a "cross over" of another satellite intercepting at approx a 20° angle (different altitude obviously).

That'd ruin one sub frame right there! He should be stopped.

Wavytone · #9 06-12-2019, 09:17 PM

Time to build a high power pulsed radar and start frying them. Need an old 3m dish. Shouldn’t be hard to find the circuit the components to make one.

Xeteth (David) · #10 06-12-2019, 09:22 PM

I love what Elon Musk is doing with SpaceX and hell even Tesla, but it's obvious he doesn't give a crap about polluting the night sky with his satellites for Starlink. Surely it must be possible to coat them with something or design them such that they don't reflect so much light?

sandevils67 (WillS) · #11 06-12-2019, 09:37 PM

That's curious .... the responses re Musk's satellites! The man is a genius! He has been first to invent a reusable rocket. First to invent a rocket that will land vertically and soon, he'll be sending ships to the moon and mars and building stations on both of those worlds! He is to resupply the ISS with people and cargo and make millions in the process and is, at this time, involved with NASA in a big way. When Musk sold Paypal he made about 20 billion dollars and that is what is financing this spacex project. This man will go down in history with all the big names. If the next war ever comes china / russia or whoever will knock out the west's gps and military satellites. Fortunately we'll have Musk's umbrella of 12,000 (yes - 12,000) satellites to relay information. He might just save us all! As we speak, SpaceX is trying to miniaturize their satellites. Reason being 12,000 of them will crowd LEO (low earth orbit) AND brighten the sky to a level that will infuriate some astronomers. Ooops, sorry about that info.

multiweb (Marc) · #12 06-12-2019, 09:45 PM

I think peppering the night sky with junk is incredibly selfish whatever the reason.

CeratodusDuck (George) · #13 06-12-2019, 09:46 PM

One EMP burst in the atmosphere from an appropriate nuclear warhead and it won't matter zot if Elon Musk has 12000 satellites in LEO or anywhere, because every circuit will be toast.

He's in it for money and nothing more. He won't go to Mars, let alone the moon - I can guarantee that. And no, he was NOT the first to invent a reusable rocket/spacecraft - Space Shuttle for starters (reused SRB's and the Shuttles themselves)

sandevils67 (WillS) · #14 06-12-2019, 09:55 PM

Hello Again .... I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Mr Musk was and is the inventor of reusable / vertical landing rockets / spaceships. He is. As his satellites will completely envelope the world, a burst of whatever in space will not affect ALL of his 12,000 satellites.

Why would russia or china destroy every satellite in the sky (with some kind of pulse) when THEIR OWN SATELLITES would also be fried?! They will not do that.

Musk's spaceX starships will be heading to Mars before long and his ventures to the moon will be starting soon also. He is going to surprise you all! Because he will do it. He is almost ready and personally I can't wait.

Oh and the Space Shuttle needed to be lifted up to orbit on a jumbo jet. And it could NOT fly back to Earth - but only glide. And if it missed its landing runway it was toast. It only had one chance!

Musk's rockets can land basically anywhere reasonably flat... even on barges at sea - which he has done. Would love to see a space shuttle do that! Glug glug glug! Musk and not the space shuttles are supplying the ISS now.

Musk's starship rockets have at this time resupplied the International Space Station 19 or 20 times. True.

sandevils67 (WillS) · #15 06-12-2019, 10:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by multiweb

I think peppering the night sky with junk is incredibly selfish whatever the reason.

Yes, I can see how many astronomers (myself included) can see how Mr Musk's satellites might destroy viewing to some degree. And yes, it could be viewed as "selfish". But he is in the process of miniaturizing them all ... as much as possible. The plan is to bring hi speed internet to EVERY NATION on Earth. A very commendable plan. And maybe make a zillion dollars at the same time!

So what came first, the chicken or the zillion dollars - Ooops I mean EGG?

But calling it "junk" is surprising! They are state of the art programmable satellites. Skynet (Terminator) might come true yet.

12,000 satellites will / might also increase the risk of collision at LEO, something spaceX is furiously working on. In the event of war however is where I think spaceX will also shine. Adversaries will not be able to destroy all of his satellites and the West's. Especially as Musk can send them up faster than anyone can shoot them down. But that is all conjecture. The reality is he is sending starships and humans to the moon and mars and I believe he will succeed in that venture ... as do many backers (NASA) overseas etc.

CeratodusDuck (George) · #16 06-12-2019, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandevils67

Hello Again .... I hate to be the bearer of bad news but Mr Musk was and is the inventor of reusable / vertical landing rockets / spaceships. He is. As his satellites will completely envelope the world, a burst of whatever in space will not affect ALL of his 12,000 satellites.

Why would russia or china destroy every satellite in the sky (with some kind of pulse) when THEIR OWN SATELLITES would also be fried?! They will not do that.

Musk's spaceX starships will be heading to Mars before long and his ventures to the moon will be starting soon also. He is going to surprise you all! Because he will do it. He is almost ready and personally I can't wait.

Oh and the Space Shuttle needed to be lifted up to orbit on a jumbo jet. And it could NOT fly back to Earth - but only glide. And if it missed its landing runway it was toast. It only had one chance!

Musk's rockets can land basically anywhere reasonably flat... even on barges at sea - which he has done. Would love to see a space shuttle do that! Glug glug glug! Musk and not the space shuttles are supplying the ISS now.

Sorry Will, you are free to revel in his "achievements", but I can assure you that ALL his satellites are fallible, as are everyone else's, and it doesn't even take a missile to bring them down/stop them functioning. GPS's can be blocked completely, satellites can be hacked and re-commandeered, EMP bursts knock out all the circuitry on the ground, making communication from the ground impossible. High energy lasers can pinpoint and destroy every single one of the satellites - that's OLD tech from the 80's (now reinvigorated with the new Russian high energy laser systems able to track and destroy MINUTE targets)

As to vertically landing rockets - wonderful, interesting achievement, but for what end? Just because? Looks impressive...doesn't do much. A simple parachute works too. It's like the old analogy of the American multi-million space pen vs the Russian pencil. Some things don't need reinventing.

As to the Space Shuttle lifted to orbit on a "jumbo jet", please, go and read the facts about the Space Shuttle first. The 747 was used to transport it between facilities, not lift it to orbit. Solid Rocket boosters, and large external fuel tank and the Shuttles engines themselves took the Shuttle to orbit. And those solid rocket boosters were parachuted and reused - multiple times. The Shuttles themselves were reused MANY times.

And I think you will find it is still Russia alone taking human beings (and the first android) to the ISS. Musk takes cargo and nothing else.

sandevils67 (WillS) · #17 07-12-2019, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CeratodusDuck

As to vertically landing rockets - wonderful, interesting achievement, but for what end? Just because? Looks impressive...doesn't do much. A simple parachute works too. It's like the old analogy of the American multi-million space pen vs the Russian pencil. Some things don't need reinventing.

Agreed re the space shuttle blasting off! And it was piggy backed up after much reworking and attention. However vertically landing rockets are amazing! To what end you ask? Need it be said? They lift off and land at their own will. They are reusable to about 80% whereas the shuttle is cumbersome and mostly wasted. It's tanks are a hundred million dollars!

The starships can land on mars or the moon and take off again without a lot of fuss and then land properly ... without an actual runway. His rockets are an amazing invention and took until now to perfect. It IS the way of the future.

Yes, Musk undercuts everyone with cargo and is why he is the chosen carrier. Two astronauts to be spaceX's first human cargo have already been chosen. It was supposed to be this year. Where it's at I do not know.

I do not go for all the gismo re how satellites are shot down, brought down, commandeered, redirected, lazered, microwaved etc etc. That can happen to any and all - but overall with 12,000 orbiting we are pretty safe if war (for eg) was to break out. Whoever blasts satellites into pieces will be responsible for ensuring humans cannot leave planet earth for hundreds of years due to the immense cloud of space junk that will create.

China caused much damage (space junk) a few years ago blasting one of their own satellites to pieces in orbit. But we can go on debating this forever! Time alone will tell what is and what isn't. Cheers

skysurfer · #18 07-12-2019, 03:01 AM

Well, I agree that Elon Musk has nice achievements, but launching 12000 (or even more) satellites is not a good idea. Not only for light polluting the night sky, but also incrementing the amount of space junk and collision risk considerably.

It appears that mankind in general is beyond a limit what Earth can have.
Oceans full of plastic, Australia is burning and drying up, same applies to Amazon rainforest, and the pollies are ignorant about this.

Paul Haese · #19 07-12-2019, 09:05 AM

Yes those were Starlink, I have been monitoring them since May. I have had several sub exposures ruined by the infernal things. And, it will get worse. It won't be just 12,000 of them. He plans on launching 40,000 in the end. And; there are three other companies planning similar venture. Seeing Elon as a god is misguided. A savy business man certainly but even one such as his can make a crucial error of judgement. Right now there are around 5600 satellites in orbit, every now and then a collision avoidance must be undertaken. This will happen every day with that amount of satellites in orbit. People have done PHD's on this subject and those experts all agree; at some point we are going back to the dark ages with that many possible collisions.

Besides, Elon did not invent those rockets, his team of engineers did that. It is an error to think it is his idea.

In the following years, the amount of satellite trails in images with be so high, that effectively ground based imaging will be near impossible. People doing research imaging will be prevented from doing any real faint long integration imaging simply because of the amount of satellite trails in a 5 minute exposure. I'll be one of them as I help a couple of guys in the States doing research.

Whilst Musk has been seen as a bit of a visionary in the past, word in the professional astronomy field has questioned this somwhat dubious idea. Imaging for 3-4 hours after astronomical dark and likewise before dawn will be plagued with this problem.

All to develop a business plan to extract cash out of the populus of the world so he can fund his goal to land and walk on Mars. Now that is selfish. Just remember when the scientists and the IDA are concerned, there is going to be a problem. Musk will be sued into oblivion over this problem of his making.

Rob_K · #20 07-12-2019, 11:11 AM

Who cares as long I can get better & faster Internet and I can Instagram or Snapchat my digital friends when I visit remote places like the Amazon desert or snorkel over the submerged remains of small Pacific nations. Just because some nerdy boffins in their ivory towers are alarmed, why should I worry? We all know that science is fake news anyway.

Cheers -