John Barentine

A historical crossroads for space exploration We are living through a time in which Earth and near-Earth space are facing unprecedented levels of potentially irreversible change.

by John Barentine Dark Sky Consulting, LLC As more people become increasingly aware of light pollution, accessible scientific information is imperative for dark sky advocates, community members, and policymakers to combat this growing environmental threat effectively. However, finding accessible information has always been challenging, especially for those looking for a broad overview of current information regarding artificial light at night (ALAN).

Abstract Large constellations of bright artificial satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) pose significant challenges to ground-based astronomy1. Current orbiting constellation satellites have brightnesses between apparent magnitudes 4 and 6, while in the near-infrared Ks band they can reach magnitude 22. Satellite operators, astronomers, and other users of the night sky are working on brightness mitigation strategies3,4.