The Growing Threat of Satellites to Astronomy and the Night Sky.

The increasing number of satellites orbiting Earth, particularly mega-constellations, is creating unprecedented light pollution that threatens the future of astronomy, according to a series of papers published in the journal Nature Astronomy. The light pollution not only affects the work of major observatories but also endangers humanity's ancient relationship with the night sky, which connects us through science, storytelling, art, origin stories, and cultural traditions. Astronomers are calling for drastically limiting mega-constellations and even banning them to protect nature and cultural heritage.