Related papers: Identifying and Measuring Satellite Streaks in DEC…
The impact of large-scale constellations of satellites, is a concern for ground-based astronomers. In recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of satellites in Low-Earth Orbit and this trend is set to continue. The…
The expansion of satellite constellations poses a significant challenge to optical ground-based astronomical observations, as satellite trails degrade observational data and compromise research quality. Addressing these challenges requires…
The growing negative impact of the visibility of satellites in the night sky is influencing the practice of astronomy and astrophotograph, both at the amateur and professional levels. The presence of these satellites has the effect of…
Measuring photometric brightness is a common tool for characterizaing satellites. However, characterizing satellite mega-constellations and their impact on astronomy research requires a new approach and methodology. A few measurements of…
Starlink is a low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite constellation operated by Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) which aims to provide global satellite internet access. Thus far, most photometric observations of Starlink satellites…
We study the apparent optical brightness of satellite streaks in ground-based observatory cameras as the orbit height is varied. This is done via simulations. Several factors are in play: the range to the satellite, satellite size and…
Artificial satellites and space debris increasingly contaminate astronomical images, affecting scientific surveys and producing large volumes of streaked exposures. Manual inspection is no longer feasible at scale, and reliable detection…
Identification of linear features (streaks) in astronomical images is important for several reasons, including: detecting fast-moving near-Earth asteroids; detecting or flagging faint satellites streaks; and flagging or removing diffraction…
The Steward Observatory LEO Satellite Photometric Survey is a comprehensive observational survey to characterize the apparent brightness of the Starlink and OneWeb low Earth orbit satellites and evaluate the potential impact on astronomy.…
The rapid increase in satellite launches in recent years, and the pressure of launches planned into the next decade, demands an improvement in the efficiency of space domain awareness facilities. Optical facilities form an important…
With the rapid increase in the number of artificial satellites, astronomical imaging is experiencing growing interference. When these satellites reflect sunlight, they produce streak-like artifacts in photometry images. Such satellite…
We present a Field of Streams visualizing stellar structures in the Milky Way halo as viewed by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam). We use $g$- and $r$-band imaging from the Dark Energy Survey and the DECam Legacy Survey, covering $18{,}700…
The study explored the usage of astronomical observations for the identification and tracking of artificial satellites. Spacecraft streaks on astronomical images are a growing issue for the astronomical community. The increasing number of…
This research addresses the growing challenge of artificial satellite trail interference in ground-based astronomical observations by developing an efficient deep learning identification method. With the proliferation of satellite…
The apparent brightness of satellites is calculated as a function of satellite position as seen by a ground-based observer in darkness. Both direct illumination of the satellite by the Sun as well as indirect illumination due to reflection…
The number of satellites in low-Earth orbit is increasing rapidly, and many tens of thousands of them are expected to be launched in the coming years. There is a strong concern among the astronomical community about the contamination of…
A model that combines celestial geometry and atmospheric physics is used to calculate the dimming of artificial satellites as they enter and exit the Earth's shadow. Refraction of sunlight by the terrestrial atmosphere can illuminate a…
We report g-r and r-i new colors for 21 Saturn Irregular Satellites, among them, 4 previously unreported. This is the highest number of Saturn Irregular satellites reported in a single survey. These satellites were measured by "stacking"…
There is a growing concern about an impact of low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite constellations on ground-based astronomical observations, in particular, on wide-field surveys in the optical and infrared. The Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF),…
We present a new approach to identify satellite trails (or other linear artifacts) in ACS/WFC imaging data using a modified Radon Transform. We demonstrate that this approach is sensitive to features with mean brightness significantly below…