Today, September 26, 2024, at 7:36 p.m., there will be a very bright new pass for SpaceX’s Starlink satellites. Here’s how to download the maps
Often when you look up you see strange lights in the sky in a row as if it were a train. Well, these are not aliens. But simply Starlink satellites. Basically a satellite constellation system that aims to provide global internet coverage. This system is ideal for rural and geographically isolated areas where internet access is unreliable or non-existent. The owner of the system is SpaceX With the aim of Creating a global broadband network Starlink uses a constellation of low Earth orbit (LE) satellites to provide high-speed internet services. SpaceX, formally known as Space Exploration Technologies Corp, is a private rocket and spacecraft company founded by Elon Musk in 2002.
The transit tonight, September 26, 2024 at 7.36pm will be visible from north-west to south-east, so rely on your smartphone compasses to determine your location (this transit will last about 6 minutes but we recommend that you determine your location a little earlier). In the next paragraph, you can download those cities for yours (if the passage is not determined yet, try throughout the day). Here is a map of Rome this evening (for example only):
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Maps
It’s very easy to find out. Where and when will these satellites be visible from your city?The fastest way is to contact the site. The sky above Select your city at the top right. Once done, select “Starlink Steps” from the menu and you’re done. Obviously, maps with the time and date will be available for download. This site will also allow you to find out the steps From other satellites And all the ISS “hunting” passes to everyone! Here’s a video of the clip:
Starlink’s impact on the night sky
Many of you have been asking us “What is that train of lights that crosses the sky every now and then?” We are here to answer that question, giving you the chance to watch the passage of Starlink satellites when they are visible from Italy. While they are useful tools and the sight of the train in the sky leaves you speechless, there is a downside too. When you see these “beautiful lights” in the sky, remember that they are a form of pollution. They’re like the beautiful iridescent reflections of diesel in a pool of water: pretty colors, but they highlight the chemical pollution.
Satellites
In fact, let us remember that satellites constitute a serious form of night sky pollution. Their high brightness, even when not visible to the naked eye, causes very great harm to professional and amateur scientific research, contaminating the data collected by telescopes and often rendering them unusable, even in places most free from ordinary light pollution, such as the Chilean observatories, Hawaii and the Canary Islands. Also, the very high and ever-increasing number of satellites in low orbit makes the risk of catastrophic collisions between satellites increasingly present, which could lead to a chain reaction effect such as making these very valuable orbits unusable (Kessler Syndrome). The proliferation of satellites is making clear night skies a thing of the past, even from the most remote places on Earth free from light pollution from artificial lights.
More information can be found here: https://www.iau.org/static/science/scientific_bodies/working_groups/286/dark-quiet-skies-2-working-groups-reports.pdf
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