The 1.7 Million Satellite Problem: Why Astronomers Fear We’re About to Lose the Night Sky

For most of human history, looking up after dark meant seeing stars. Now, in some places, it means watching a train of bright satellites streak across the sky in perfect formation. That used to be a novelty. A new study suggests it could soon become a permanent, civilization-scale problem.

Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) have concluded that the current surge in satellite launches is not just an annoyance for stargazers. It may be an existential threat to the science of...