The visual appearance of the Iridium ® satellites

A new generation of communications satellites orbiting the Earth is presenting amateur astronomers and the general public with an exciting new experience—the ability to view objects that at times will be brighter than the brightest star or planet in the sky! Named the Iridium satellite constellation, this collection of artificial satellites circles the Earth 14 times daily. Each one is physically about the size of an automobile. Originally planned as a way for persons with portable telephones to communicate anywhere in the world using space-based technology, an unexpected feature of the design has caused the visual appearance of these spacecraft to reflect the light of the Sun like a giant mirror. While one might argue that the relative sameness of the night sky is rarely punctuated by anything dramatic, the Iridium satellites are about to change that view.