Consider where we started: When SpaceX launched its first operational Starlinks in May 2019, there were roughly 2,000 active satellites of all kinds orbiting Earth. Starlink alone now outnumbers the entire pre-2019 fleet five to one. The constellation has utterly transformed the orbital environment."

https://spaceweather.com/images2026/17mar26/surrounded.jpg 

https://spaceweather.com/ 

British astronomers 'alarmed' by plans to use space mirrors to light Earth at night

British astronomers have said they are "alarmed" by a US company's proposals to launch space mirrors to reflect sunlight to Earth at night.

California-based start up Reflect Orbital plans to launch satellites with mirrors attached to them later this year in order to deliver sunlight on demand.

The company says the lights are dimmable, highly localised, and easy to relocate when needed.

It says some of the benefits could include expanding the potential of solar power, extending working areas, replacing streetlights, and illuminating disaster zones.

However, the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) said the satellites would "permanently scar the natural landscape" and make the night sky three to four times brighter.

Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director at the RAS, said: "These proposals would not only have a disastrous impact on the science of astronomy, they would also hinder the right of everybody on Earth to enjoy the night sky. That is unacceptable.

"The stars above us are a valued part of human heritage – deploying more than one million exceptionally bright satellites would utterly destroy this and permanently scar the natural landscape."

According to Reflect Orbital's website, the company plans to launch 50,000 satellites by 2035, with the first two expected to be launched by the end of the year.

It also states that they will "maintain strict exclusion zones for astronomy and sensitive environments."

Alongside the European Southern Observatory and the International Astronomical Union, the RAS says they have submitted comments opposing the plans to the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

https://www.itv.com/news/2026-03-17/astronomers-alarmed-by-plans-to-use-space-mirrors-to-light-earth-at-night 

To throw a perfume on the violet,

To smooth the ice, or add another hue

Unto the rainbow, or with taper-light

To seek the beauteous eye of heaven to garnish,

Is wasteful and ridiculous excess.

William Shakespeare - King John, Act IV, scene ii

'Nuff said.

https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/ 

Northern Lights forecast to reappear across UK on Saturday

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/ckgwmr9ve10o 

Anyway, I love music and find it helps with my work from processing images to just enjoyment.

A fairly recent find via my daughter is Claire Obscur Expediton 33. Great for working in RAW. For me at least. And then for a politically bleak and depressing Monday morning. An uplift for some though who knows?

The track Fragments” from Echoes by Rusanda Panfili & Johannes Winkler. All about the Cosmos and the meaning of life or at least Rusanda and Johannes take on it. I find it beautiful and they put their souls into their work. 

If Roger reads this you could listen to the whole album Echoes, beginning with 11 Dimensions and a glass of your best Moldovan.

Oh and Beast if you read this, I bet you’ll love this clip from Munich.

How and when to see April's full Pink Moon

https://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/articles/cgl5r1e66ydo 

Full story:

https://spaceweather.com/ 

SpaceWeather:

Strong G3-class geomagnetic storms are possible later today, March 31st, when a CME is expected to graze Earth. It was launched by yesterday's X1.5-class solar flare.

AuroraWatch - current data.

https://aurorawatch.lancs.ac.uk/ 

https://spaceweather.com/ 

https://www.skyatnightmagazine.com/news/how-to-watch-the-artemis-ii-launch-live 

ESA - Tune in from one hour before launch at 22:24 BST

https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Watch_live_Artemis_II_launch 

I thought this was April Fool's day at first. Can you imagine what that would do to the World's wildlife. What about worldwide bird migration and plant growth? It's insane but the world is insane.

Excellent. I've been doing astrophotography for a few years now. I currently have a 66mm f6.0 refractor and a Star Adventurer GTi tracker. 

I have found it very difficult co-ordinating all of the controls via my laptop but got there eventually. I previously had great success with just my DSLR for Orion, Andromeda and a few other easy galaxies and nebulae. The trouble is all the lugging the heavy equipment out to the driveway and time setting up and with only a handful of suitable clear nights here a year at the right time I'm losing interest. So I am thinking of going down the Smart telescope route just because of the ease and portability. (My only concern is that all my images will pretty much be the same as everybody else ). Do you mind if I ask if you went for the Dwarf series or the Seestar? 

The coverage of this Artemis thing is nauseating.  So many billions spent on this jolly, they could have solved their own healthcare crisis with that money. 

Yes I agree with that. It has been a stunning achievement to explore the moon, and getting humans there something especially exciting. However I confess to personal reservations of our species taking its "ways" to the other planets, raping and messing them up as we have done to the Earth.  I recall discussing the issue of the first landings with Muslim colleagues, sitting under the stars in Africa in the 80s. [My university had had some of the original Moon samples to work on.] Islam has made a huge contribution to astronomy. Understandable significance is given to the Moon. As usual I reflect on the 2500-year-old Taoist view. 

"Do you think you can take over the universe and improve it?

I do not believe it can be done.

The universe is sacred.

You cannot improve it.

If you try to change it, you will ruin it.

If you try to hold it, you will lose it."

50 years on – our link with Apollo 11 Moon landing

https://www.royalholloway.ac.uk/research-and-education/departments-and-schools/physics/news-physics/50-years-on-our-link-with-apollo-11-moon-landing/ 

Another example of how people see the planet as ours to exploit and abuse as they see fit.

It might be an April Fool - or else the number of satellites quoted has acquired an extra zero or two.

50,000 satellites by 2035 is 5,000 a year or about 14 per day - and the report says that they're only planning two in the first year

That is a very good question! I actually got the Dwarf II initially but a colleague had a Seestar and found it more intuitive and generally a bit better, so I got one of those too! I prefer it to the Dawrf, but both are good.

Thanks. Had you done any astrophotography before? Having read some reviews myself and my friend having a Seestar 50 it does seem to have slightly better image quality. I understand the Dwarf III has some improvements like equatorial mode as well as wide angle. Also saw some quite good daytime bird shots which appealed to me.

Not only that but mirrors reflect heat energy as well. Using them on the night side of Earth will stop those areas cooling off at night, especially in the summer, increasing the rate of warming. It will certainly go ahead under this administration anyway.

How big are these things going to be?!