NASA Astronaut Captured Mesmerizing “Cosmic Fireflies” From ISS (Video, Photos)

On his fourth journey to space, NASA astronaut Don Pettit has been delighting us with stunning photos and videos from the International Space Station (ISS) since his arrival in September. His latest capture shared on X showcases distant stars, Earth’s city lights shimmering 250 miles below, and what he calls “cosmic fireflies.”

Small Starlink Satellites

Don Pettit explains that these light flashes are sunlight glinting off the small Starlink satellites as they orbit Earth more than 100 miles above the space station.

Since the first Starlink satellites launched in 2019, SpaceX has sent over 6,700 into low-Earth orbit. The company has approval to launch up to 12,000 satellites and aims to deploy as many as 42,000 eventually. This means astronauts on the ISS will see even more of these satellites in the future, especially as other companies like Amazon plan to launch their own small satellites for internet services.

“Cosmic Fireflies” Reflecting Sunlight

“They create bright flashes, perhaps lasting for a few seconds each due to the orientation of their outward pointing solar panels,” wrote Pettit on X. “Starlink satellites look like a miniature version of the monolith from “2001: A Space Odyssey”, where the large flat face of the monolith points towards earth and the solar panel protrudes outward like the fin on the back of a Dimetrodon. These bright flashes are not directed towards earth and are strikingly bright from orbit.”

SpaceX’s satellites aren’t just visible to astronauts but also causing challenges for astronomers. Sunlight reflecting off the Starlink satellites, which power SpaceX’s global internet service for over 4 million subscribers, has been disrupting ground-based telescopes to observe deep space.

Concerns About “Cosmic Fireflies” Crowds

The issue has worsened since SpaceX launched its newer V2 Starlink satellites in February last year. These satellites reflect more light and emit electromagnetic radiation, which has interfered with radio astronomy.

However, Starlink satellites, or “cosmic fireflies,” still remain a fascinating visual phenomenon, appearing like small stars orbiting the Earth.