Listening in to a meeting of radio astronomers: direct-to-cell satellites are SO BRIGHT that even though they're following the rules and broadcasting in their allocated bands, they destroy astronomical observations across a huge swath of frequencies.

[sundogplanets@mastodon.social]

Listening in to a meeting of radio astronomers: direct-to-cell satellites are SO BRIGHT that even though they're following the rules and broadcasting in their allocated bands, they destroy astronomical observations across a huge swath of frequencies.

Radio telescopes were designed to operate in remote place far from cell towers. Now the cell towers are directly overhead, blasting into the incredibly sensitive detectors. Yet another way we're losing our window to the stars: bye bye SETI.