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Emergency Motion for the BAA Special General Meeting and Ordinary Meeting scheduled for 25th March, 2020 Agenda. As the BAA’s Financial Situation is very healthy due to the Bequests it has received I propose that there is an Emergency Motion in Support of ‘Funding Active BAA contribution to NASA’s ‘Satellite Streak Watcher’ request for Public Sighting Information regarding photographing of the Low Orbit ‘5G Broadband’ Satellites that have been already launched in 2019 – 2020 and future launches. BAA to encourage as a matter of Urgency the RAS to get involved in the International pressure against these satellite designs and launches.’ See https://astronomy.com/news/2020/03/nasa-needs-you-to-photograph-starlink-satellites-with-your-smartphone? The Worldwide Astronomical Professional and Amateur Community needs to wake up! That the BAA takes an active Public position against these satellites / launches until their design has at least an albedo criteria that does not pollute the night sky; contribute to false sightings of asteriod / comet and other astronomical events; does not pose future risk of adding to the debris in orbit endangering human spaceflight missions etc. Many of the BAA Membership will have to discard images due to satellite passes through the section of sky they are observing. Instead of an automatic discard now check the image content to consider if it will add to the weight of evidence of the impact of these satellites in the Night Sky. All BAA Section Directors (especially Meteor Section) need to be active in getting the message out to their Section Members and the BAA Membership, the BAA adding its’ weight to encourage the RAS to urgently get involved in the International pressure against these satellite designs and launches before it is too late.With all the light pollution around us do we have to suffer light pollution above us also!!!
Telescopes at Lowell Observatory in Arizona captured this image of galaxies on May 25, 2019, their images marred by the reflected light from more than 25 Starlink satellites as they passed overhead.Victoria Girgis/Lowell Observatory.
This letter from John Goss, Past President of the Astronomical League, that appears in the current issue of SkyNews may be of interest.
Alan
It should be remembered the BAA has not been silent on this matter. Article from last year.
https://britastro.org/node/18560
Andy
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