Photo: orbitalreflector.com
Astronomers like their skies dark and quiet. No matter how advanced the technologies they use to study space, all of them need as little surrounding light as possible to get their work done.
But what if their observation instruments will have to dodge the Sun’s light, reflected from a 100-foot-long, diamond-shaped polyethylene balloon that circles the planet?
An answer to this question may come soon enough, as the above-mentioned balloon will be sent to orbit this November, onboard a SpaceX rocket.
The object is a project created by American artist Trevor Paglen and is officially called the Orbital Reflector. Once its orbits Earth, it will become a nonfunctional satellite for the artist, and a bright man-made star for observers on Earth.
According to the Paglen, the sculpture will be orbiting our planet at a distance of 350 miles (575 kilometers). It will be reflecting sunlight so brightly that it will be visible from below with the naked eye.
"It's the space equivalent of someone putting a neon advertising billboard right outside your bedroom window," astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell was quoted as saying by Gizmodo.
But, luckily for astronomers, this artificial star of sorts will not be staying in orbit for long. Paglen says it will be there only for a few weeks, as its decaying orbit will eventually make it burn in the atmosphere.
Up until recently, only government agencies and major corporations were capable and wealthy enough to launch stuff into orbit. But, with the rise of private space companies, the sky is the limit.
In the first month of 2018, a startup called Rocket Lab sent a giant disco ball to space. After that, Elon Musk sent a car up there, so its safe to assume more crazy ideas will follow.
After all, it only costs $62 million to fill the Falcon 9 with 5.5 metric tons of cargo and send it to geostationary orbit.
An answer to this question may come soon enough, as the above-mentioned balloon will be sent to orbit this November, onboard a SpaceX rocket.
The object is a project created by American artist Trevor Paglen and is officially called the Orbital Reflector. Once its orbits Earth, it will become a nonfunctional satellite for the artist, and a bright man-made star for observers on Earth.
According to the Paglen, the sculpture will be orbiting our planet at a distance of 350 miles (575 kilometers). It will be reflecting sunlight so brightly that it will be visible from below with the naked eye.
"It's the space equivalent of someone putting a neon advertising billboard right outside your bedroom window," astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell was quoted as saying by Gizmodo.
But, luckily for astronomers, this artificial star of sorts will not be staying in orbit for long. Paglen says it will be there only for a few weeks, as its decaying orbit will eventually make it burn in the atmosphere.
Up until recently, only government agencies and major corporations were capable and wealthy enough to launch stuff into orbit. But, with the rise of private space companies, the sky is the limit.
In the first month of 2018, a startup called Rocket Lab sent a giant disco ball to space. After that, Elon Musk sent a car up there, so its safe to assume more crazy ideas will follow.
After all, it only costs $62 million to fill the Falcon 9 with 5.5 metric tons of cargo and send it to geostationary orbit.
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