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by shadowgovt 2397 days ago
there are other ways to do astronomy
1 comments

from Earth there's only one way: telescopes
Starlink hasn't rendered telescopes inoperative, nor will it. They still work for 99+% of viewing time, and the satellites in question are invisible on most of the radiation band telescopes can operate on.

This is a tempest in a teapot complaint. Ground-based telescopes already need to account for the existence of satellites, airplanes, birds, the ISS, etc. The Starlink constellation is just increasing the number of the things; it's not changing the nature of the challenge.

Or would you recommend we ban microwave ovens because they deliver noise near the radio spectra we use for Internet communication?

Banning microwave ovens (and RF transmission in general) is precisely what is done near radio-astronomy sites (see Green Bank, the SKA, etc.)
... but not throughout the whole town housing the telescope.
Including the town housing the telescope: https://greenbankobservatory.org/the-land-where-the-internet...
Do you propose to pass laws to turn the world into Green Bank, W.Va?

Because I, for one, kinda enjoy being able to have the conversation we're having right now.