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The satellites in Amazon’s new internet-beaming megaconstellation in low Earth orbit (LEO) are shiny sufficient to disrupt astronomical analysis, a examine has discovered.
The examine — which was posted on the net repository Arxiv on Jan. 12 however has not but been peer-reviewed — analyzed almost 2,000 observations of Amazon Leo satellites. It concluded that the spacecraft exceed the brightness restrict really useful by the Worldwide Astronomical Union (IAU) that goals to make sure innocent coexistence of satellite tv for pc megaconstellation with astronomical analysis.
“Vivid satellites are notably troublesome for large-scale astronomical surveys being performed at ground-based observatories such because the Vera C. Rubin Observatory,” examine lead creator Anthony Mallama, an astronomer on the IAU Heart for Safety of the Darkish And Quiet Sky, informed Area.com in an electronic mail. “Nevertheless, they’ll additionally intrude with orbiting observatories just like the Hubble Area Telescope.”
Mallama and his colleagues have beforehand studied the brightness of different satellite tv for pc networks, particularly SpaceX‘s Starlink, which, with round 9,500 satellites, is by far the most important constellation in orbit immediately. In addition they noticed the large BlueBird satellite tv for pc arrays operated by AST SpaceMobile, whose antennas, which cowl 690 sq. toes (64 sq. meters), make them the brightest synthetic objects within the night time sky. (And the next-gen BlueBirds are even greater, with antennas overlaying almost 2,400 sq. toes, or 223 sq. m).
Mallama famous that satellites within the Amazon Leo constellation (which was once referred to as Venture Kuiper) are considerably dimmer than the BlueBirds and barely fainter than most Starlink satellites, which orbit at a decrease altitude of round 300 miles (480 km). Mallama, nevertheless, added that the Starlink constellation advantages from being in Earth’s shadow for many of its orbital time, which makes it much less obtrusive.
Future Amazon Leo satellites are anticipated to orbit at decrease altitudes of round 366 miles (590 km), which can additional enhance their brightness.
John Barentine, an astronomer on the Silverado Hills Observatory in Tucson, Arizona, and a darkish sky knowledgeable who didn’t take part within the new examine, stated that the Amazon Leo satellites seem particularly shiny throughout twilight.
Amazon started launching its web constellation in 2025. Thus far, solely 180 satellites have been positioned into orbit, however Amazon plans to develop the constellation to greater than 3,200 spacecraft.
Mallama, nevertheless, lauded Amazon for its willingness to have interaction with astronomers and work on lowering the affect of its satellites on the night time skies.
“Satellite tv for pc operators similar to Amazon and SpaceX are working with the astronomical neighborhood to cut back the brightness of their satellites,” Mallama stated. “One methodology is by making the underside of the spacecraft mirror-like in order that daylight is mirrored into area quite than scattering to the bottom. One other is to orient the satellites’ elements in order that observers on the bottom don’t see the sunlit sides.”
Barentine added that, for the reason that launch of Amazon’s first take a look at satellites in 2023, the corporate’s engineers have managed to cut back the quantity of sunshine the orbiting satellites replicate to Earth and due to this fact their visibility within the night time sky.
“Amazon Leo is an occasion wherein the operator established a dialogue with astronomers early within the design section of their constellation,” stated Barentine. “It’s encouraging to see that this effort has yielded some success.”
Astronomers started sounding alarm bells concerning the affect of satellite tv for pc megaconstellations on the observations of the universe shortly after the launch of the primary batch of SpaceX’s Starlink satellites in 2019. Again then, they revealed streaked photographs, affected by the paths left behind by satellites passing within the view of telescopes. However since then, SpaceX too has labored on lowering the brightness of its satellites.
Nonetheless, an earlier report — printed by Mallama and his colleagues within the journal Month-to-month Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society in November 2025 — discovered that, aside from OneWeb satellites, which orbit at larger altitudes of 745 miles (1,200 km), all at the moment operational internet-beaming constellations, together with the Chinese language tasks Qianfan and Guowang, have been exceeding the IAU-recommended brightness limits.
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