#darkandquietskies — Public Fediverse posts

Satellite Surge in the Night Sky: An interactive look at current and future orbit density
https://naturnacht-fulda-rhoen.de/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/satelliten-himmel-i18n.html
#satellite #megaconstellation #nightsky #darkandquietskies #lightpollution #satellites #starlink #orbit #space #leo

It is time to take astronomy off Earth

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://spacenews.com/it-is-time-to-take-astronomy-off-earth/

I'm happy to report that after a very long two years and many delays, the IAU Symposium No. 385 proceedings volume is finally published by Cambridge University Press. It's probably the most extensive/complete source on #DarkAndQuietSkies to date.

https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-international-astronomical-union/issue/A9BBF3A43BD3A7A6DA601999F6BDAAF2

#Space #Satellites #Astronomy #Conference #IAUS385

#Satellites in Congressional action today.

The (reintroduced) Dark And Quiet Skies Act text is here: https://www.hickenlooper.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Dark-and-Quiet-Skies-Act-119th-Congress.pdf

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #DarkAndQuietSkies #Congress #UnitedStates

"The #DarkAndQuietSkies Campaign serves us well to remember that the governance of #OuterSpace is not simply about money and geopolitics. The values of science and culture also have a place. As you follow the track of a #satellite across the night sky this week, consider what kind of sky and scientific legacy we want to leave for future generations."

https://legal-planet.org/2025/10/13/what-is-space-law/

#Space #SpaceLaw

Earlier today I gave an astronomy- and policy-focused talk on obtrusive space advertising in the Dark & Quiet Skies context for the long-running Future In-Space Operations (FISO) Telecon series.

The (audio) recording and my slides are available on: https://fiso.spiritastro.net/telecon/Barentine_4-16-25/

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceAdvertising #SpacePolicy #DarkAndQuietSkies

I'm pleased to have a byline in Physics Today on this 'Quick Study' about #DarkAndQuietSkies. Thanks to my editor, Jennifer Sieben, and Jeff Warner for us of his amazing image that accompanies the story.

https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/online/44173/Threats-to-the-dark-and-quiet-sky

#Astronomy #RadioAstronomy #LightPollution #Satellites #Space

Three pieces by @Nature today on dark and quiet skies.

A news feature looking at the state of solutions for satellite constellations:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00792-y

A related Editorial:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00788-8

And a Comment piece by two experts on the risk of space debris hitting the ground:
https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-025-00797-7

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #Megaconstellations #Satellites #SpaceDebris #DarkAndQuietSkies

A statement by the "Group of Friends" (six national delegations and six NGOs) on Dark and Quiet Skies presented at the ongoing Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Scientific and Technical Subcommittee is now publicly available.

PDF: https://www.unoosa.org/res/oosadoc/data/documents/2025/aac_105c_12025crp/aac_105c_12025crp_22_0_html/AC105_C1_2025_CRP22E.pdf

#Space #OuterSpace #COPUOS #SpaceSustainability #SpaceEnvironment #ScienceDiplomacy #Astronomy #DarkAndQuietSkies

"[W]hile [astronomers] continue to work on satellite interference issues, they are expanding their work to other topics broadly associated with space sustainability. These issues range from the threat of obtrusive space advertising and reentries that interfere with their observations to the danger of confusing asteroids with flying Teslas."

Comprehensive reporting by @jeff_foust for @spacenews_inc on Dark & Quiet Skies at #AAS245.

https://spacenews.com/as-the-night-sky-grows-crowded-astronomers-face-a-growing-problem/

#Space #SpaceSustainability #DarkAndQuietSkies #SpaceAdvertising #SpaceDebris #Reentry #PlanetaryDefense #Astronomy

Can we really achieve a "zero debris" future in orbital space? The European Space Agency thinks so, and it offers this prescription for how to get there.

Among its chief objectives: "protect dark and quiet skies".

https://www.esa.int/Space_Safety/Technological_to-do_list_to_reach_Zero_Debris_created

#Space #SpaceEnvironment #SpaceSustainability #SpaceDebris #ZeroDebrisCharter #ESA #DarkAndQuietSkies

The @iau_cps Policy Hub has published two major pieces of its Work Package 2, a survey of global policies intended to deal with "the national and international landscape concerning Dark and Quiet Skies".

"National Approaches to the Protection of Dark and Quiet Skies" https://zenodo.org/records/14566125

and

"The National and International Landscape Concerning Dark and Quiet Skies" https://zenodo.org/records/14579453

#Space #Satellites #DarkAndQuietSkies #Astronomy

Although it was 'published' several months ago, the @iau_cps position statement ("Call to Protect the Dark and Quiet Sky from Harmful Interference by Satellite Constellations") is now on the arXiv which makes it citable.

https://arxiv.org/abs/2412.08244

#Space #Satellites #SpaceSustainability #Astronomy #DarkAndQuietSkies

This is a smart move on the part of DarkSky International. It is increasingly clear that the way to achieve anything like a peaceful coexistence between astronomers and the commercial space industry is to invest in technology development. The D&QS Act would fund such work in part and make brightness/radio mitigations accessible to more companies planning to launch in coming years.

https://darksky.org/news/darksky-endorses-the-dark-and-quiet-skies-act/

#DarkAndQuietSkies #Astronomy #Space #NightSky #Satellites #Legislation #Congress

Day 5 of the #IAUGA2024: Major #DarkAndQuietSkies event of the day is the business meeting of IAU Commission B7 (https://www.iau.org/science/scientific_bodies/commissions/B7/). Lots of results in the past triennium; here to discuss plans for the next. #Astronomy2024

✨ 𝐀𝐧𝐧𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭! ✨

🛰 Do you want an overview of the technical and scientific aspects of light pollution and radio / optical interference from satellites?

🛰 Do you want to learn about the legal avenues for the protection of dark and quiet skies?

Please join the IAU CPS for a Webinar about 𝐄𝐱𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐠𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐐𝐮𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐞𝐬, on 16th or 19th/20th February, depending on your time zone.

#Space #SpaceLaw #SpaceSustainability #DarkAndQuietSkies

#Satellite #megaconstellation impacts on #astronomy are again on the agenda for the UNOOSA Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space Science and Technical Subcommittee. This event, organized by the Chilean and Spanish delegations, the European Southern Observatory, SKA Observatory and the European Astronomical Society, will be held on the sidelines.

#DarkAndQuietSkies #COPUOS #Space #SpaceSustainability

The UK House of Lords today debated a question from Viscount Stansgate on the sustainable use of LEO space for both commercial development and the protection of ground-based astronomy. "Dark and quiet skies" got a specific mention in the ministerial response, as did the International Astronomical Union's policy initiatives in that realm.

The exchange can be seen from 15:09:17 onwards here: https://www.parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/2aa5487f-86d9-4df6-9be4-ca05635654e3

#Satellites #SpaceSustainability #LEO #RadioAstronomy #DarkAndQuietSkies #UKLords

A reminder that some IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky from Satellite Constellation Interference (CPS) folks and I maintain a searchable database of scientific literature and technical reports relating to large satellite constellations and their impacts on #astronomy: https://www.zotero.org/groups/satcons

#Satellites #SatCons #DarkAndQuietSkies

Thanks to the International Astronomical Union's Office for Astronomy Outreach for having me on this week for Dark and Quiet Skies Month to talk about how large satellite constellations affect our perceptions of "quiet" night skies.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=flKjA52tV7Y

#DarkAndQuietSkies #DarkSkies4All #Astronomy

A scholarly critique of the Dark & Quiet Skies process: “The Dark and Quiet Skies initiative should be maintained as a new international effort. ... International Relations scholars still need to analyze the progress and development of international efforts to combat light pollution. In this conclusion, it is no less important to offer solutions to minimize the problem of light pollution.”

#DarkAndQuietSkies #LightPollution

https://e-journal.unair.ac.id/JGS/article/view/36326