![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/CTIO-starlink-satellites-7b3235a-e1688650339546.jpg\")
Image captured by the Blanco 4m telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory shows 19 streaks attributed to Starlink satellites. Credit: NSF\u2019s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory\/CTIO\/AURA\/DELVE<\/p>\nThe amount of artificial satellites in the sky is getting worse and, if left untempered, will brighten the night sky so much, astronomers will struggle to study the Universe and continue to make discoveries.<\/p>\n
That’s the key takeaway from a European Southern Observatory study that found current proposals to launch over 1.7 million satellites into orbit would have “devastating consequences for astronomy.”<\/p>\n
The study says no more than 100,000 faint satellites \u2013 satellites that can’t be seen with the naked eye \u2013\u00a0should be in orbit around Earth at any time.<\/p>\n
Such a limit would, say the study authors, ensure astronomers can continue to observe the night sky, unravel the secrets of the Universe, search for alien life and detect hazardous asteroids.<\/p>\n
Image captured by the Blanco 4m telescope at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory shows 19 streaks attributed to Starlink satellites. Credit: NSF\u2019s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory\/CTIO\/AURA\/DELVE<\/p>\n
Timelapse spanning 5 hours, showing satellite trails over ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile, 19 May 2026. Credit: B. H\u00e4u\u00dfler\/ESO
\nSatellites out of control?<\/p>\n
The problems around artificial satellites distorting our view of the night sky are well-known among astronomers.<\/p>\n
While an increase in artificial satellites has improved connectivity around the world, including bringing internet access to rural, remote communities that previously could not access it, astronomers continue to point out how satellite trails are obscuring our view of the night sky.<\/p>\n
![\"Starlink](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/10.ChaoWang_StarlinkSatelliteTrails.jpg\")
Starlink satellite trails photographed by Chao Wang, Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia, China, 2 June 2025<\/p>\n
This study explores the extent to which large and bright satellite constellations affect night-sky observations by making the sky brighter.<\/p>\n
It says that, since 2019, the number of satellites orbiting Earth has increased to over 14,000 today and is dominated by Starlink telecommunications satellites launched by Elon Musk’s SpaceX.<\/p>\n
“Until now we have managed, but it’s getting worse,” says Olivier Hainaut, who’s been\u00a0involved\u00a0in developing recommendations to mitigate the impact of satellite constellations on astronomy.<\/p>\n
Time-lapse showing satellites crossing the night sky above the northern Atacama Desert in Chile, over a period of just one hour on 15 October 2025. In the foreground is the dome of ESO\u2019s Extremely Large Telescope, under construction at the time the video was captured. Credit: F. Kamphues, ESO\/M. Kornmesser<\/p>\n
Hainaut has been an astronomer at the European Southern Observatory \u2013 which operates numerous telescopes under the dark skies of Chile \u2013 for over 30 years and is the author of the study.<\/p>\n
He says that, while satellite launch companies like SpaceX are taking measures to make satellites less bright, existing proposals are going “beyond the limit” of what astronomy can withstand.<\/p>\n
![\"A](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-1231167449-7d64589.jpg\")
A group of SpaceX Starlink satellites in the night sky over Uruguay. Photo by Mariana SUAREZ \/ AFP via Getty Images<\/p>\n
The study addresses SpaceX plans to send one million more satellites into orbit.<\/p>\n
It claims that for a large proportion of each night, hundreds of satellites would be visible.<\/p>\n
And at certain times, up to several thousand would be visible, similar to the number of stars seen with the naked eye in good conditions.<\/p>\n
![\"Diagram](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/spacex-1-million-satellites.jpg\")
Diagram produced by the European Southern Observatory predicting the number of satellites visible above the Very Large Telescope if SpaceX launches a planned constellation of 1 million satellites. Credit: ESO\/O. Hainaut
\nNot just SpaceX<\/p>\n
The study says there are other planned satellite constellations to be concerned about, such as E-Space’s Cinnamon constellations and China\u2019s CTC-1 and 2.<\/p>\n
It also points to US start-up firm Reflect Orbital, which intends to launch mirror-like satellites to provide sunlight at night.<\/p>\n
Reflect Orbital says its constellations will provide extra solar power for clean, sustainable energy, even when the Sun is below the horizon, and will extend working hours for those who need it.<\/p>\n
“Some worry that reflecting sunlight from orbit could disrupt astronomical observations or alter the night sky,” says a statement on Reflect Orbital’s website.<\/p>\n
“Not only do we take this seriously, but we are committed to seeking out engagement and dialogue, are excited to listen and receive feedback, and are eager to improve our early designs and future\u00a0service.”<\/p>\n
However, the ESO study says the satellites would be the brightest ever in orbit and would be damaging to Earth’s dark skies.<\/p>\n
It says a sunlight-delivering satellite would appear four times as bright as the full Moon.<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/reflect-orbital-sky-brightness.jpg\")
Image produced by the European Southern Observatory illustrating what ESO scientists claim would be the effect of sunlight scattered by Reflect Orbital\u2019s space mirrors on the overall brightness of the sky above the Very Large Telescope. Credit: ESO\/O. Hainaut
\nWhy astronomers are worried<\/p>\n
The study says proposals like these are just some of the planned satellite constellations that accumulatively would brighten the night sky.<\/p>\n
That would hinder our ability to observe the distant Universe, early galaxies at the dawn of the cosmos and find Earth-like planets around other stars.<\/p>\n
It could even, says the study, prevent us from finding potentially dangerous asteroids.<\/p>\n
“Satellites, illuminated by the Sun, are much brighter than distant galaxies,” says Hainaut.<\/p>\n
“When a satellite crosses what we observe, it makes a bright streak on our image, zapping whatever is behind it.”<\/p>\n
Hainaut worked on computer simulations to calculate just how damaging the new wave of artificial satellites could be to our view of the night sky.<\/p>\n
![\"Image](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/satellites-eso-chile.jpg\")
Image showing satellites in the night sky above the Atacama Desert in Chile, over a period of one hour, 15 October 2025. Credit: F. Kamphues, ESO\/M. Kornmesser<\/p>\n
He found that, in the case of the SpaceX satellite mega-constellation, dozens of trails would appear in each image taken two hours with the European Space Agency’s Very Large Telescope in Chile, which is one of the most important telescopes on Earth in terms of its ability to make astronomical discoveries.<\/p>\n
Haianut’s simulation assumes the satellites would be faint enough not to be seen with the naked eye in good conditions.<\/p>\n
However, if they’re just a tiny amount brighter, some instruments would be even worse affected.<\/p>\n
He says that a camera like that the new Vera C. Rubin Observatory \u2013 the largest digital camera in the world<\/a> \u2013 could be rendered unusable for several hours every night.<\/p>\n Hainaut also says the full fleet of Reflect Orbital satellites would mean every image from such a camera would be lost.<\/p>\n Even satellites too faint to be seen directly would create a veil of \u2018diffuse\u2019 light, says the study, and light from brighter satellites would be \u2018scattered\u2019 in all directions across the sky.<\/p>\n The study say 1.7 million proposed new satellites would have drastic consequences for astronomy, which can only be avoided limiting the overall total to 100,000 satellites faint enough to not be seen with the naked eye.<\/p>\n “This is not a hard number, like 99,999 is good and 100,001 is bad: clearly I’d prefer 50,000,\u201d says Hainaut.<\/p>\n “But 100,000 causes losses at about the level of other technical losses, such as equipment failure.”<\/p>\n![\"This](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/orion-nebula-satellite-trails.jpg\")
This long-exposure image of the Orion Nebula lasted 208 minutes. In that time, multiple satellite trails streaked across the night sky. Credit: A. H. Abolfath\/NOIRLab\/NSF\/AURA
\nSo what can we do?<\/p>\n