On a more positive note…If every satellite had an astro camera on it looking out it would be possible to image the entire sky continuously, 24/7. Imagine the possibilities…what would you do with a camera in space?
Time for the astronomical community, amateur and professional, to start working with the constellation builders. How can we use all these camera platforms in space to benefit everyone? It could open up imaging/photometry/spectroscopy in the UV and IR. Exo-planet hunting could be carried out over the entire sky. Anyone could ‘see’ the pristine night sky anywhere, anytime. Good for astronomy, great PR for tech firms. [The dawn of space-based amateur astronomy?].
I can see a headline sometime in the 2030’s…”AI Mega-constellation discovers first exo-planet: Musk-1a”…guaranteed immortality…!
If it’s going to happen why not take advantage of it…I guess it’s evolve or die.
Don’t just think outside the box, think outside the atmosphere…
British Astronomical Association
Supporting amateur astronomers since 1890