The solution to reduce light pollution in the starry sky?

The multiplication of satellites in orbit. However, in particular in low orbit becomes A real problem for astronomical observations. Meanwhile, A British team could however have found A simple but effective solution.

Satellites becoming problematic – Solution reduce light pollution starry

While the Vera C. Rubin observatory has recently been put into service. thus revealing our impressive technological advances allowing the observation of the universe, another technology is increasingly problematic: satellites.

As these invade the sky. astronomers are indeed increasingly difficult to Observe the night sky without light pollutionnamely Light streaks Left by these spacecrafts blurring the images, even compromising certain research.

Over the past ten years, the number of active orbit satellites has been multiplied by ten And many inactive are still running every day above our heads.

In solution reduce light pollution starry 2024. 10,324 active satellites were located in orbit around the Earth and this figure should further increase in the coming years with the shipments of Space X satellites but also of the Chinese Constellation Qianfan, which could have more than 15,000 satellites by 2030.

Even if these satellites play an essential role in our daily lives (GPS, Internet access, weather surveillance and climate, etc.), their multiplication therefore poses A real problem for astronomical observations. However. a team of scientists led by astrophysicist Noelia Noël from the University of Surrey could have found a solution.

A simple but effective solution?

Rather than limiting satellite shipments in space. thus limiting our technological development as well as the surveillance of our planet, researchers from the University of Surrey in England have proposed simply paint satellites with a black paint.

This black paint is not. however, the one we prove to find in any DIY store, it is a question of Ventablack 310one of the darkest paintings in the world Reflecting only 2% of visible and infrared light. Thus. paint satellites with Ventablack 310 will allow very strongly reduce the light streaks caused by the reflection of sunlight on their structure.

This simple solution will be tested in 2026 on the experimental satellite Jovian 1. Nevertheless. scientists hope that companies like SpaceX and its 7600 satellites in low terrestrial orbit (more than half of the active satellites) can soon use this solution reduce light pollution starry anti-reflection paint For their spacecraft.

To date. the company in question has not confirmed this future use, even if it has assured being determined to make future satellite designs as dark as possible. Indeed, the previous attempts led to technical problemsfor example overheating of certain components.

In all cases. even if this painting could limit future light pollution, astronomers emphasize that The more the number of satellites will increase, the greater the impact on research will beespecially since it is far from being certain that all space agencies and private companies use Ventablack 310 in the future.

Article reference:

A cloud of black satellites could soon gravitate in the skyGEO (07/22/2025), Adélie Clouet d’Orval