Falling Starlink Satellites Mistaken for Meteor Showers Across North America
North Americans see more bright objects in the sky that look like shooting stars. But it is not a matter of meteorites, but Starlink satellites that fall back to Earth. One or two satellites deteriorate every day.
Spectacular light show in the sky
In the past few weeks, residents of California and Canada have increasingly observed fiery objects in the sky that slowly pulled over the firmament and broke. What looked like meteorites or shooting stars at first glance turned out to be a completely different phenomenon: it is Starlink satellites from SpaceX, which return to earth after the end of their operations time and bloom in the atmosphere. One or two Starlink satellites are currently falling to Earth every day, as the renowned astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell confirms.
The Harvard expert, who is considered a luminary for satellite movements with his “Jonathan’s Space Report”, follows this development closely. And his conclusions even go on: the frequency of the re -entries continues to increase and could soon increase up to five satellites a day. According to Earthsky There are currently more than 8,000 Starlink satellites in orbit, and this number is growing continuously. The reason for the frequent re-entries lies in the special construction of the Starlink constellation. The satellites operate between 340 and 614 kilometers high in low earth ornaments and have a planned lifespan of only five to seven years. This is significantly shorter than with conventional communication satellites, which often remain in space for decades.
It is often difficult for observers on the ground to distinguish between natural meteorites and artificial objects. McDowell explains that the most important difference is in the speed: While real meteorites are only visible for a few seconds and quickly pass by, glossy satellites move significantly slower and can be observed in the sky for several minutes.
Another characteristic difference lies in the appearance: glowing satellites often disintegrate into several parts that appear in the sky as the chain of shining objects. Meteorites, on the other hand, usually show a single, continuous strip of light. The phenomenon increases by several factors. The currently high sun activity means that the earth’s atmosphere is heated up and expands, which increases the air resistance for the satellites and it is pushed out of their track faster. In addition, technical defects or malfunctions can cause satellites to have to leave their orbit prematurely.
Effects unclear
When the satellites are burned out, particles are created with exotic metals such as niobium and hafnium as well as high concentrations of copper, lithium and aluminum. These tiny particles can absorb and reflect on sunlight or serve as a catalyst for ozone -damaging chemical reactions.
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