Starlink
capt_slog
Posts: 3,974
I nearly posted this in 'Trivial things which cheer you up' but that's not an accurate description of it, it doesn't cheer me up exactly but I do find it fascinating and exciting
If you haven't heard of them, the Starlink satellites were launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, and will be used to provide internet coverage.
There's a lot up there, reports vary on the number but it seems to be around 360 (Wiki) and at the moment (most of this week) they are easily visible from the UK.
I'm used to looking out for satellites, but these are a bit different because you often get more that one in your field of view at the same time, like a bit of constellation moving through the background of the other constellations. Once you have your eye in to spot them, they look a bit weird.
If you want to see them, i recommend the "Heavens Above" website. Put in your location by using the link in the top right corner of the screen (opens a map) and the site then gives you the times and locations of what can be seen.
(Edit. Idiot me, got the name wrong.
)
If you haven't heard of them, the Starlink satellites were launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX company, and will be used to provide internet coverage.
There's a lot up there, reports vary on the number but it seems to be around 360 (Wiki) and at the moment (most of this week) they are easily visible from the UK.
I'm used to looking out for satellites, but these are a bit different because you often get more that one in your field of view at the same time, like a bit of constellation moving through the background of the other constellations. Once you have your eye in to spot them, they look a bit weird.
If you want to see them, i recommend the "Heavens Above" website. Put in your location by using the link in the top right corner of the screen (opens a map) and the site then gives you the times and locations of what can be seen.
(Edit. Idiot me, got the name wrong.
) The older I get, the better I was.
0
Comments
-
I watched a couple last night. As you probably know being interested in it, the plan is to end up with 12,000!0
-
From where I was standing, they seemed to spell out "Pedo guy".You can fool some of the people all of the time. Concentrate on those people.1
-
It's a bit weird this is happening with nobody knowing about it eh?
Looking up at the night sky is not going to be a thing anymore...
https://newatlas.com/space/spacexs-astronomical-photobombs-starlink-satellites/
We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
Ha. I'm waiting for the magical Covid19 device.Longshot said:From where I was standing, they seemed to spell out "Pedo guy".
0 -
Yeah, I expect there are a few p1ss off astronomers.ddraver said:It's a bit weird this is happening with nobody knowing about it eh?
Looking up at the night sky is not going to be a thing anymore...
https://newatlas.com/space/spacexs-astronomical-photobombs-starlink-satellites/0 -
I think many if not most astronomers think they are a nightmare.0
-
If 5G is giving us all Covid-19 imagine what all those satellites are going to do and we won't even be able to set fire to them! Yet another plan by the Cognitive Elite to control the world population and all you lot are doing is looking at the pretty lights in the sky. The timing is so obvious too, distract us all with a global pandemic from their 5G masts to keep us from paying attention to the far bigger threat in our skies. Imposing a police state to stop us going out and seeing what's happening. Wake up sheeple!0
-
At least it's not some weird unstable guy who's decided to surround us with satellites.0
-
He's like a real life Bond villain. It's only a matter of time until he builds a new house in a hollowed out volcano and has a tank of remote controlled sharks.0
-
...with laser beams.Pross said:He's like a real life Bond villain. It's only a matter of time until he builds a new house in a hollowed out volcano and has a tank of remote controlled sharks.
"I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]0 -
I don't think he's of this planet. Those rockets that land themselves on platforms ?
#burnthewitch0 -
To boldly go...
0 -
Still not seen the train of starlink satellites. Lot's of others but not those yet.0
-
@fenix It looks as if there are few tonight.fenix said:Still not seen the train of starlink satellites. Lot's of others but not those yet.
Go to the Heavens Above website, put in your location. Search under Starlink 2, 3 and 4 (Starlink passes for all objects from a launch)
The older I get, the better I was.0 -
Seeing Tesla cars take astronauts to your rocket too is pretty cool mind!0 -
Yes.
Live feed for tonight's launch from various places, one of which is the National Space Centre's facebook page..
https://www.facebook.com/NationalSpaceCentre?hc_location=ufi
The older I get, the better I was.0 -
Cheers for the link Captain.
The space suits look refined now and just goes to show you can't beat a good pair of wellies.0 -
-
I guess they're going to take it to DisneyLand first to check their eye's out before they make the long hall.2
-
Cancelled due to the weather. Saturday for the next try.0
-
Takes me back to primary school and spending several hours watching the first shuttle mission not launch.0
-
The Apollo missions were when i was at primary school.
I can remember the teacher having a chat/discussion session with the kids who were interested in it. He was trying to answer some of the questions, but a lot of the pupils (only the boys were there BTW) knew more than he did and he was surprised at some of the answers. It was a wonderful time.
The older I get, the better I was.0 -
This never happened to Hugo Drax. Might have to downgrade him to an Austin Powers villain.0
-
I was born in 71 so missed the heyday of the space race but still grew up with Saturn 5 airfix models and all that stuff.capt_slog said:The Apollo missions were when i was at primary school.
I can remember the teacher having a chat/discussion session with the kids who were interested in it. He was trying to answer some of the questions, but a lot of the pupils (only the boys were there BTW) knew more than he did and he was surprised at some of the answers. It was a wonderful time.
Space Shuttle was my era though. Saw, the first, the last and two disasters. Saw the Enterprise Shuttle somewhere but can't for the life of me remember where.
Interestingly enough, Gore-tex (PTFE) is a by product of the shuttle programme. It's teflon by another name which is renowned for it's non-stick properties. Used on the shuttle tiles which were renowned for their non-stickiness.0 -
I must admit when I saw the Telsa's drive up to the launch site, Moonraker did cross my mind.Pross said:This never happened to Hugo Drax. Might have to downgrade him to an Austin Powers villain.
0 -
It’s T-E-S-L-A. The S comes before the L, as per Nikola Tesla, the Serbian engineer / inventor who developed a lot of the electrical AC technology. 🙂focuszing723 said:
I must admit when I saw the Telsa's drive up to the launch site, Moonraker did cross my mind.Pross said:This never happened to Hugo Drax. Might have to downgrade him to an Austin Powers villain.
Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS0 -
Thnak you.Wheelspinner said:
It’s T-E-S-L-A. The S comes before the L, as per Nikola Tesla, the Serbian engineer / inventor who developed a lot of the electrical AC technology. 🙂focuszing723 said:
I must admit when I saw the Telsa's drive up to the launch site, Moonraker did cross my mind.Pross said:This never happened to Hugo Drax. Might have to downgrade him to an Austin Powers villain.
1 -
I was told that PTFE came from the nuclear industry.morstar said:
I was born in 71 so missed the heyday of the space race but still grew up with Saturn 5 airfix models and all that stuff.capt_slog said:The Apollo missions were when i was at primary school.
I can remember the teacher having a chat/discussion session with the kids who were interested in it. He was trying to answer some of the questions, but a lot of the pupils (only the boys were there BTW) knew more than he did and he was surprised at some of the answers. It was a wonderful time.
Space Shuttle was my era though. Saw, the first, the last and two disasters. Saw the Enterprise Shuttle somewhere but can't for the life of me remember where.
Interestingly enough, Gore-tex (PTFE) is a by product of the shuttle programme. It's teflon by another name which is renowned for it's non-stick properties. Used on the shuttle tiles which were renowned for their non-stickiness.
It was the only(?) thing that could hold the very corrosive uranium hexafluoride that is produced as one of the stages in making pure bomb-grade uranium.
It's one of the few things I recall from lecture demo years ago, but I haven't checked to see if it's correct or not.
The older I get, the better I was.0 -
T minus one hour
Weather building up again0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEUbzkiLxQ8
