Starlink satellites can disturb observation even of those telescopes protected by radio-quiet zones.

  • tal@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    I mean, the opportunity cost of not being able to use part of the frequency spectrum is also pretty big. And some of the structural elements are there to stand up to terrestrial conditions, like precipitation, wind, and much-stronger gravity. They wouldn’t need those on the Moon.

    I think a more-fundamental issue is that it imposes constraints on the direction in which one can be pulling data from. No great fix for that.

    EDIT: If this NASA project makes it to deployment, then there will be at least one up there.

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_Crater_Radio_Telescope

    If completed, the telescope would have a structural diameter of 1.3 km, and the reflector would be 350m in diameter.[3][4][5] Robotic lift wires and an anchoring system would enable origami deployment of the parabolic reflector.[6]