相关论文: The BlueWalker 3 Satellite Has Faded
The BlueWalker 3 (BW3) satellite was folded into a compact object when launched on 2022 September 11. The spacecraft's apparent visual magnitude initially ranged from about 4 to 8. Observations on November 11 revealed that the brightness…
The BlueWalker 3 satellite is now fainter than during the first months after deployment. The greatest improvement is that the average maximum luminosity near zenith has been reduced from magnitude 1.0 to 2.2. However, the spacecraft is…
Observations have been carried out in order to assess the optical characteristics of the BlueWalker 3 spacecraft which is the prototype for a new satellite constellation. The illumination phase function has been determined and evaluated.…
Based on a large set of visual observations, the mean apparent magnitude of BlueBird satellites is 3.44, while the mean of magnitudes adjusted to a uniform distance of 1000 km is 3.84. Near zenith the spacecraft can be as bright as…
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 mean of 830 visual magnitudes adjusted to a distance of 550 km (the operational altitude) is 4.63 +/-0.02. The data on DarkSat, the low-albedo satellite, indicate that it is fainter than the others by 1.6 magnitudes or 78%. However,…
The brightness of Starlink satellites during orbit parking and orbit raising decreased significantly in 2020 when the operator modified their orientation. The mean apparent magnitude before the change was 3.90 +/- 0.18, while afterward it…
The Starlink satellites are shaped like flat panels. The flat sides face zenith and nadir during normal operations. Their brightness is determined by the product of the solar illumination on the downward facing side of the panel multiplied…
Observed magnitudes of Qianfan spacecraft range from 4 when they are near zenith to 8 when low in the sky. Nearly all of the observations can be modeled with a nadir-facing flat antenna panel and the underside of a zenith-facing solar…
The mean apparent magnitude of the Qianfan satellites is 5.76 +/- 0.04, while the mean of magnitudes adjusted to a distance of 1,000 km is 5.24 +/- 0.04, based on 1,161 observations. Light curves of several spacecraft display rapid periodic…
Photometric characteristics for all models of Starlink satellites launched to date are reviewed. The Original design that lacked brightness mitigation is the most luminous. SpaceX installed a sunshade on the VisorSat model which reduced its…
It is widely believed that the large discrepancy between the observed number of satellite galaxies and the predicted number of dark subhalos can be resolved via a variety of baryonic effects which suppress star formation in low mass…
Observations on comet C/2007 N3 (Lulin) were made at phase angles close to opposition ($1.7^{\circ}$ - $10^{\circ}$). Photometric observations were carried out during 2009 February 24-28, in the IHW blue and red continuum and $R$ broad band…
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…
Megaconstellations of thousands to tens of thousands of artificial satellites (satcons) are rapidly being developed and launched. These satcons will have negative consequences for observational astronomy research, and are poised to…
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.…
Magnitudes recorded from 2021 through 2026 for Starlink VisorSats reveal brightening of 0.6 magnitudes, while those of OneWeb show dimming of 0.4. Both trends are significant at 3 sigma. This study is based on 1.6 million magnitudes…
The mean of 430 visual magnitudes of VisorSats adjusted to a distance of 550-km (the operational altitude) is 5.92 +/-0.04. This is the characteristic brightness of these satellites when observed at zenith. VisorSats average 1.29 magnitudes…
Starlink Generation 2 Mini satellites are fainter than Gen 1 spacecraft despite their larger size. The mean of apparent magnitudes for satellites in brightness mitigation mode is 7.06 +/- 0.10. When these magnitudes are adjusted to a…
In July 2007, the blazar 3C 454.3 underwent a flare in the optical, reaching R~13 on July 19. Then the optical flux decreased by one magnitude, being R~14 when the source was detected by the gamma-ray satellite AGILE, that observed the…