1. Size and Distance: Satellites are relatively small compared to the vastness of the sky and the distances involved. Most satellites are located in orbits around the Earth at altitudes ranging from a few hundred kilometers to several thousand kilometers. At such distances, they appear as tiny points of light, making them difficult to capture in photos, especially with consumer-grade cameras.
2. Lighting Conditions: Satellites are typically visible when they reflect sunlight, just like the Moon. However, the timing and angle of sunlight required for a satellite to be visible from the ground can be challenging. The brightness of the satellite, the position of the observer, and the angle of the sunlight all need to align for a satellite to be visible in a photograph.
3. Short Exposure Times: Taking photos of objects in the night sky often requires long exposure times to capture enough light. However, satellites move relatively quickly across the sky, making them difficult to capture in a single exposure without motion blur. Most ground-based photographers focus on capturing stationary objects or slow-moving celestial bodies like stars, planets, or the Moon.
4. Focus and Equipment: Photographing satellites requires specialized equipment and techniques. Dedicated astrophotographers may use high-quality telescopes with tracking mounts and specialized cameras capable of capturing faint objects in the sky. This level of equipment and expertise is beyond what an average person would possess, making it less likely for satellites to appear in their photographs.
It's important to note that while capturing satellites in photos from the ground is challenging, there are specialized satellite-tracking systems and observatories that can detect and photograph satellites with precision.
📌The answer is pretty straightforward – it’s because Earth is very, very big.
For example Take the ISS – the biggest man-made object currently spinning around the planet – for example. It has a surface area of around 2,500 square meters which is almost equal to the size of a 6-bedroom apartment .now calculate how many ISS’es would it need to completely cover the Earth’s surface🤔
✅If someone asks why they can’t see satellites in the images of Earth, ask them why a picture of their house doesn’t show the two dozen flies nearby, or why a full-body picture doesn’t show the huge number of bacteria and germs living on their body. Hopefully, that will help them understand!
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