The threat posed by a swarm of satellites around the Earth

The threat to Earth from satellites: they shine brighter than stars and make it difficult to detect asteroidsTelecinco news

One of big problems existing all over the world, is Satellite proliferation and the danger it poses In many cases. As David Jimenez pointed out in Informativos Telecinco, the warning came from a union of experts International Astronomical Union (IAU)which warn that the huge number of artificial satellites threatens the ability to detect other objects that are not artificial at all, such as asteroids or comets, which often pass close to our planet and may collide with it.

Many people wonder why this happens. Mainly because the satellites are very bright, they shine even brighter than the starsThis way they can blind observatory telescopes. Example. Elon Musk’s Starlink company There are 6,000 satellites in orbit. Four hours after sunset, the panorama that remains is of the brightness of these man-made objects, more visible than a panorama of shooting stars or the trails left by commercial aircraft.

Experts warn: “Before 2030, we could have more than 30,000 or 40,000 objects around the Earth.”

In simulations one can observe a swarm of satellites surrounding the Earth. “In recent years, More than 1,000 satellites are launched annually.“, Explain Javier Armentia, director of the Pamplona Planetarium in Navarre. There are currently an estimated 10,000 of them, a figure that could quadruple in the coming years.

“By 2030 we could have over 30,000 or 40,000 facilities. Around the Earth,” Armentia explains. An alarming situation. Experts warn that they could jeopardize the ability to detect asteroids, as we said. And experts are paying close attention to this issue: “The non-detection of these objects This could mean we have a hidden threat“, clarifies Fernando MorenoResearcher at the Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia.

In January, the asteroid had already fallen on the outskirts of Berlin and was discovered only three hours earlier.

IN January has already collided with an asteroid unusual in outskirts of Berlin, in Germany, having been discovered only three hours earlier. “There will come a time when it will become difficult to observe not only asteroids, but any other object in the sky,” Moreno adds. Satellites like Elon Musk’s also pose an additional challenge: “The brightness produced by the reflection of sunlight on a satellite can be confused with the same brightness produced by a small asteroid.”

Therefore, from International Astronomical Union (UIA), launched warns of uncontrolled spread this could put our planet at risk in the not too distant future. “Until now, no one has bothered to study the environmental impact of our immediate space,” says Javier Armentia. Everyone hopes that this issue will be resolved.

Subscribe to the Informativos Telecinco newsletter and we will send you news to your email.

Follow us on our WhatsApp channel and stay updated with all the news at the moment.