There are tens of thousands of satellites above us and they affect our daily lives, yet we rarely see them. But one photographer set out to record some of the best-known satellites: Elon Musk’s Starlink.
Josh Dury tells PetaPixel that on January 18 this year, a bright pass of a Starlink “train” was due near his home in the U.K. A train typically consists of 20 to 30 satellites and a bright pass means the satellites have recently launched and appear much closer together and much brighter.
“This is an integration of 30, 10-second exposures to demonstrate the visual impact the satellites are having on the night sky,” Dury says.
The effect satellites are having on the night sky is well-documented with astronomers warning that Starlink satellites could be “fatal” to astrophotography and astrophotographers complaining that satellites ruin their view of celestial targets.
“This subject is of vast concern to the international astronomy community over the impact they will have to all types of astronomical observation as well as to the conservation of the night sky,” adds Dury who was previously featured on PetaPixel for his image of the Perseid meteor shower raining down on Stonehenge.
“It is with understanding the needs and demands for this technology to provide global internet coverage, however, the conservation of the night sky is another cause of environmental concern, which needs to be addressed.”
Dury took the shot in Somerset, England and the person standing in the photo is himself.
“The purpose of this photograph is to generate a personal, emotional response,” explains Dury. “Astrophotography can be used as a platform to encourage others to look up at the night sky, while also addressing environmental concerns.”
Award Winning
Dury’s photo, titled The Way of the World, was shortlisted for Astronomy Photographer of the Year.
“A private viewing was held for this year’s Astronomy Photographer of the Year competition, where astrophotographers from all over the world were invited to attend at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London. I was very fortunate to attend and like-minded photographers as far as the United States, Sweden, and France,” says Dury.
“Being shortlisted alone is a massive undertaking when considering such a prolific photography competition such as this one. 140 images were selected from up to 4,000 global submissions. Therefore having my work showcased was an immense privilege while being printed in the annual publication.”
More of Dury’s work can be found on his website, Instagram, Facebook, and X.
Image credits: Photographs by Josh Dury.