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Starlink

capt_slogcapt_slog Posts: 3,877
edited April 2020 in The cake stop
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. :) )


The older I get, the better I was.

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Posts

  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    I watched a couple last night. As you probably know being interested in it, the plan is to end up with 12,000!
  • LongshotLongshot Posts: 940
    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.
  • ddraverddraver Posts: 25,592
    edited April 2020
    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
    - @ddraver
  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    Longshot said:

    From where I was standing, they seemed to spell out "Pedo guy".

    Ha. I'm waiting for the magical Covid19 device.
  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    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/
    Yeah, I expect there are a few p1ss off astronomers.
  • elbowlohelbowloh Posts: 7,078
    I think many if not most astronomers think they are a nightmare.
    Felt F1 2014
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  • ProssPross Posts: 36,480
    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!
  • kingstongrahamkingstongraham Posts: 24,007
    At least it's not some weird unstable guy who's decided to surround us with satellites.
  • ProssPross Posts: 36,480
    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.
  • Stevo_666Stevo_666 Posts: 54,639
    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.

    ...with laser beams.
    "I spent most of my money on birds, booze and fast cars: the rest of it I just squandered." [George Best]
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    I don't think he's of this planet. Those rockets that land themselves on platforms ?

    #burnthewitch
  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005


    To boldly go...
  • fenixfenix Posts: 5,437
    Still not seen the train of starlink satellites. Lot's of others but not those yet.
  • skwarczekskwarczek Posts: 75
    Stevo_666 said:

    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.

    ...with laser beams.
    attached to their freaking heads

  • capt_slogcapt_slog Posts: 3,877
    edited May 2020
    fenix said:

    Still not seen the train of starlink satellites. Lot's of others but not those yet.

    @fenix It looks as if there are few tonight.

    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.

  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    edited May 2020


    Seeing Tesla cars take astronauts to your rocket too is pretty cool mind!
  • capt_slogcapt_slog Posts: 3,877
    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.

  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    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.
  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEUbzkiLxQ8

  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    edited May 2020
    I guess they're going to take it to DisneyLand first to check their eye's out before they make the long hall.
  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    Cancelled due to the weather. Saturday for the next try.
  • morstarmorstar Posts: 6,072
    Takes me back to primary school and spending several hours watching the first shuttle mission not launch.
  • capt_slogcapt_slog Posts: 3,877
    The Apollo missions were when i was at primary school. :smile:

    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.

  • ProssPross Posts: 36,480
    This never happened to Hugo Drax. Might have to downgrade him to an Austin Powers villain.
  • morstarmorstar Posts: 6,072
    capt_slog said:

    The Apollo missions were when i was at primary school. :smile:

    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.

    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.

    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.
  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    Pross said:

    This never happened to Hugo Drax. Might have to downgrade him to an Austin Powers villain.

    I must admit when I saw the Telsa's drive up to the launch site, Moonraker did cross my mind.
  • WheelspinnerWheelspinner Posts: 6,313
    focuszing723 said:

    Pross said:

    This never happened to Hugo Drax. Might have to downgrade him to an Austin Powers villain.

    I must admit when I saw the Telsa's drive up to the launch site, Moonraker did cross my mind.
    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. 🙂



    Open One+ BMC TE29 Seven 622SL On One Scandal Cervelo RS
  • focuszing723focuszing723 Posts: 6,005
    Wheelspinner said:

    focuszing723 said:

    Pross said:

    This never happened to Hugo Drax. Might have to downgrade him to an Austin Powers villain.

    I must admit when I saw the Telsa's drive up to the launch site, Moonraker did cross my mind.
    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. 🙂



    Thnak you.
  • capt_slogcapt_slog Posts: 3,877
    morstar said:

    capt_slog said:

    The Apollo missions were when i was at primary school. :smile:

    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.

    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.

    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.
    I was told that PTFE came from the nuclear industry.

    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.

  • surrey_commutersurrey_commuter Posts: 18,069
    T minus one hour

    Weather building up again
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