
Why Astronomers Worry About the Brightness of SpaceX's Starlink Satellites - jv22222
https://www.space.com/spacex-starlink-astronomy-observations.html
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jv22222
Is there any reason they could not be painted with the new very black paints?
Or does some of their surface need to be reflective for some reason?

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jv22222
Looks like this can be done:

[https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/11/20/this...](https://www.forbes.com/sites/startswithabang/2019/11/20/this-
is-how-elon-musk-can-fix-the-damage-his-starlink-satellites-are-causing-to-
astronomy/#d8025634ccce)

> Even more cost-effectively, simply coating the satellites with a very dark,
> low-albedo outer layer would go a long way to reducing the astronomically
> polluting effects of this constellation.

> Albedo reduction, it is very clear from the current Starlink satellites, was
> not even considered as part of the design. By incorporating some common
> sense steps to reduce it — and I know plenty of astronomers willing to help
> with recommendations — the apparent brightness of these satellites can be
> reduced by a factor of approximately ~100.

