Fascinating world of satellites: How to watch them in the sky

Fascinating world of satellites: How to watch them in the sky

The fascination of the night sky: satellites and stars in view

The night sky always enchants us with its beauty and secrets. If you look at the sky at night, you can also admire human crafts in addition to the sparkling stars that circle our earth as satellites. These little technical miracles enable us to communicate, navigation and much more.

Many of the approximately 9,000 satellites that are currently circulating around the earth move to heights between 160 and 2000 kilometers above us. Some are even further away. Depending on the purpose and mission, their orbits vary. Observation satellites often serve to deliver razor -sharp images, which is why they are lower. GPS satellites, on the other hand, circle the earth at a height of around 20,000 kilometers to ensure reliable navigation.

A special feature of observing satellites is that they appear as bright points of light in the sky without flashing. In contrast, aircraft have green or red lights and can easily be distinguished from satellites by flashing.

Amazing heavenly events in August

In August, the night sky offers some highlights that are worth watching. When the first stars appear in the sky after 10 p.m., the Milky Way is particularly easy to see. Their center shows itself as a bright belt over the southern horizon. August is also the time of Perseiden, a crush of meteorite that can be seen in the sky from mid to late August. Especially in the night from August 12th to August 13th, this crush reaches its climax and lets the sky illuminate.

Another fascinating spectacle offers the star heap Messier 2 towards the end of the month. With a diameter of 175 light years and about 38,100 light years from Earth, this pile houses around 150,000 stars. Its creation 13 billion years ago makes him a true sky gewel that is worth admiring.

- Nag