Thanks @beckyferreira for this nice piece quoting me and not just my infamous tweet. To temper things down (because they got out of control, seriously): I don't hate @elonmusk and everything he/his companies are doing. @SpaceX and its engineers are amazing in many ways.... 1/n
..and the I also have a tremendous respect for the employees of @SpaceXStarlink working on those technical challenges, trying their best to mitigate the impact of their fleet. Musk and @SpaceX have been open to discussions and inputs from the astronomy communities. 2/n
I also feel like we are just “whining privileged” people with a telescope in a backyard, a camera on a tripod.
But at the same time, I am *personally* not convinced sending a bazillion satellites is the best option to remedy for the inhomogeneity of internet service access. 3/n
But at the same time, I am *personally* not convinced sending a bazillion satellites is the best option to remedy for the inhomogeneity of internet service access. 3/n
It’s a flashy and lucrative one for sure! In general, wherever public, taxpayers money is put into infrastructure for the common good, there is access even in rural areas and affordable. It can be done with radio-frequencies if not with cable/fibers, space too, why not.. 4/n
But in my humble opinion, it has to be assessed by panels of experts and regulated beyond a single country. Pathetically quoting myself: "Shouldn’t there be more regulations? More scientific and ethical assessment to what is OK and what isn’t? Long term planning?” 5/n #starlink
In general, and I speak for myself only (by no means for others astronomers or for the institutions I am professionally linked with): I love @spacex when the reuse/(re)land parts of their rockets, when they push the enveloppe on technologies, I find that "refreshing" and wow 6/n
@spacex, @blueorigin and others will enable new capabilities we have not idea of, notably in astronomy with small missions or formation flying of telescopes (now I am excited, interferometry in space!). 7/n
things to get the attention of millions of fans and push their lucrative agenda forward without *enough* consultation. Have people dream is great and important but not in a delusional, almost sectarian way. 9/n
The night sky is for everybody, it has been scrutinized & used for millennia. We should cherish it and protect it just like our Earth. The ladder is in my opinion, our only vessel. I am all in favor of space exploration (obviously) but not pro colonization. That's it for me! 10/n
I also owe apologies to the public and to the author of this amazing shot, #DanielLopez @cielodecanarias for perhaps not explaining well. He's one of the very best night scape / astrophotographers, of course he knows how to stack properly or wait and get rid of the trails! 11/n
#DanielLopez @cielodecanarias just published a video that allows you to understand how satellites (probably not just #starlink) affect this kind of 30s shots with a 200mm DSLR+200mm. It's a amazing. 25 of 34 of these frames have at least 1 sat trail facebook.com/watch/?v=30286… 12/n
#DanielLopez @cielodecanarias's great image inspired me and others to relaunch a debate on LEO sats. It's more the density that stroke me most. In that regard, the image was tricking a bit the viewers in believing there were more at a given time 13/13
