BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:Australia/Sydney BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20210706T193000 RDATE:20211003T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20220403T020000 RDATE:20221002T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20230402T020000 RDATE:20231001T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20240407T020000 RDATE:20241006T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20250406T020000 RDATE:20251005T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20260405T020000 RDATE:20261004T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20270404T020000 RDATE:20271003T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20280402T020000 RDATE:20281001T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1100 TZOFFSETTO:+1000 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEST END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20211003T030000 RDATE:20220403T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20221002T030000 RDATE:20230402T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20231001T030000 RDATE:20240407T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20241006T030000 RDATE:20250406T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20251005T030000 RDATE:20260405T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20261004T030000 RDATE:20270404T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20271003T030000 RDATE:20280402T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20281001T030000 RDATE:20290401T020000 TZOFFSETFROM:+1000 TZOFFSETTO:+1100 TZNAME:Australia/Sydney AEDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:7f695a720e69c7357ba29bea810b64d2 CATEGORIES:Guest Speaker Night CREATED:20220409T155139 SUMMARY:Guest Speaker - Prof Fred Watson LOCATION:of Event: Green Point Observatory DESCRIPTION:

Astronomy in the Era of Satellite Mega-constellations


Most astronomers know that we are on the brink of an era of satellite mega-cons tellations, with up to 100,000 spacecraft in low Earth-orbit by the end of the decade. This unprecedented crowding of orbital space is driven by the d emand for low-latency global Internet and cheaper launches. The threat to p rofessional astronomical observations is well documented and has led to the foundation of an International Astronomical Union Centre addressing the is sue, but other affected communities include amateur astronomers, the intere sted general public and those with a cultural investment in the sky. The ne ws is not all bad, however, and this overview by Australia’s Astronomer-at- Large outlines some of the opportunities that mega-constellations bring to astronomical societies and astronomy communicators.

 

Professor Fred Watson

Professor Fred Watson A M has been the Australian Government’s Astronomer-at-Large since 2018. He w orked at both of Britain’s Royal Observatories before joining the Australia n Astronomical Observatory as Astronomer-in-Charge in 1995. He is best know n today for his award-winning radio and TV broadcasts, books, music, dark-s ky advocacy and co-hosting the popular Space Nuts podcast. Fred has an aste roid named after him (5691 Fredwatson), but says that if it hits the Earth, it won't be his fault. His latest book is Spacewarp – Colliding Comets and Other Cosmic Catastrophes, aimed at the 10+ age group.

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Astronomy in the Era of Satellite Mega-constellations


Most astronomers know that we are on the brink of an era of satellite mega-cons tellations, with up to 100,000 spacecraft in low Earth-orbit by the end of the decade. This unprecedented crowding of orbital space is driven by the d emand for low-latency global Internet and cheaper launches. The threat to p rofessional astronomical observations is well documented and has led to the foundation of an International Astronomical Union Centre addressing the is sue, but other affected communities include amateur astronomers, the intere sted general public and those with a cultural investment in the sky. The ne ws is not all bad, however, and this overview by Australia’s Astronomer-at- Large outlines some of the opportunities that mega-constellations bring to astronomical societies and astronomy communicators.

 

Professor Fred Watson

Professor Fred Watson AM has been the Australian Government’s Astronomer-a t-Large since 2018. He worked at both of Britain’s Royal Observatories befo re joining the Australian Astronomical Observatory as Astronomer-in-Charge in 1995. He is best known today for his award-winning radio and TV broadcas ts, books, music, dark-sky advocacy and co-hosting the popular Space Nuts p odcast. Fred has an asteroid named after him (5691 Fredwatson), but says th at if it hits the Earth, it won't be his fault. His latest book is Spac ewarp – Colliding Comets and Other Cosmic Catastrophes, aimed at the 1 0+ age group.

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