Astronomers are calling on nations to ban advertising in space that can be seen from the ground, calling it the latest threat to the dark and quiet sky.

WASHINGTON — Astronomers are calling on nations to ban advertising in space that can be seen from the ground, calling it the latest threat to the dark and quiet sky.

At a briefing during the 245th Meeting of the American Astronomical Society earlier this month, the organization rolled out a statement calling for bans on “obtrusive space advertising” because of the interference it could cause for groundbased astronomy.

Obtrusive space advertising is defined in U.S. federal law as “advertising in outer space that is capable of being recognized by a human being on the surface of the Earth without the aid of a telescope or other technological device.” Such advertising is banned in federal law through prohibitions on granting launch licenses for missions carrying payloads to carry out space advertising.

  • FlashMobOfOneOPEnglish
    1·
    1 day ago

    Hey all, after seeing the interest in this thread, I decided to make ads in space the topic of my YT video for the week.

    If you enjoy the video, please let me know what you think.

  • LeviathanEnglish
    9·
    7 days ago

    If they block my stars I will go full terrorist.

    • 3abasEnglish
      512·
      7 days ago

      They bomb kids daily and you’re complacent, you’re telling me if they added more ads you’re gonna finally revolt?

      I don’t buy it.

      • LeviathanEnglish
        5·
        6 days ago

        If you had any idea how politically active I am you wouldn’t say something so idiotic. But there you go.

      • Phoenixz@lemmy.caEnglish
        1·
        6 days ago

        I think you both make good points

        Reality is simple: those kids are bombed invisibly, nobody sees them. It happens, but many people don’t pick up on it because suppression of news and propaganda

        Those commercials you see 24/7 and there is no opt out, no escaping it, and it would destroy the beauty of the world

        I’m not trying to say that bombed kids don’t matter, or are somehow less important, of course, but I do think that this is the reality of the situation will be simply that visibility will make all the difference

      • Footer1998@crazypeople.onlineEnglish
        1·
        7 days ago

        they only bomb kids in far-away lands, it’s abstract and easily put aside for most people.

        i’m sure op is exaggerating but people not doing anything about genocide in gaza/lebanon but going on strike over e.g. gas prices is kinda expected human behavior sadly

        • TrackinDaKrakenEnglish
          1·
          6 days ago

          We’re rounding up brown U.S. citizens and putting them in concentration camps right now. Except about 1/3 of us don’t believe it at all, and most of the rest of us think “concentration camps” is hyperbole, and maybe it’s “just people here illegally, so they deserve it.”

          Almost no one is doing shit about it, including myself.

          So, yeah, no one is going to go “full terrorist” if they start launching space ad satellites. I mean, what does that even mean? Discovering when they’re launching and sabotaging the rocket? Come on, no one is doing that.

          It’s going to happen, it needs to happen first for anyone to react. But, since we’ve allowed billionaires to consolidate power amongst a handful of people, we’re not going to be able to stop them, without… well, use your imagination. It won’t be pretty.

          • Footer1998@crazypeople.onlineEnglish
            1·
            6 days ago

            there are anti-ICE protests but yeah there needs to be more, we need to be the change we want to see in the world, we need to organize and get involved in activist efforts

        • 3abasEnglish
          22·
          6 days ago

          But they won’t even strike over gas prices…

          • Footer1998@crazypeople.onlineEnglish
            2·
            6 days ago

            yeah the us really needs to build political consciousness and needs to organize. pretty much every western nation needs to! liberalism has really fucked us all over so badly

  • TheCriticalMember@aussie.zoneEnglish
    7·
    7 days ago

    The day the night sky fills with billboards is the day I switch from “I really hope we as a species can get better” to “I really hope we as a species become extinct soon.”

  • Etterra@discuss.onlineEnglish
    6·
    7 days ago

    Aliens: we come in peace

    Scientists: can you help us with some of our problems? Maybe give us fusion power? Tell us about your culture?

    Aliens: actually we came about the Coca-Cola.

  • OdoEnglish
    6·
    7 days ago

    Anyone read Arthur C. Clarke’s short story “Watch This Space” where a giant Coke logo is lit up on the moon? It was meant to be funny, not instructional. Sigh. “Torment Nexus” and all that, I suppose.

  • LordCromEnglish
    6·
    7 days ago

    Its already at a point where I can’t take a long exposure without a dozen spacex satellites and other junk zooming through my frame. Light pollution is already at a tipping point where no stars are visible in or around large cities.

    Support your local amateur astronomer club. Support the dark skies association.

  • Airfried@piefed.socialEnglish
    5·
    7 days ago

    Worry not astronomers! AI space tech companies are already working hard on telescopes on moon which you can access via a monthly subscription! Hurray! /s

  • favoredponcho@lemmy.zip
    English
    21·
    7 days ago

    And just like AI, everyone will agree before the technology is mature. And then someone will make a breakthrough and find it’s possible and then the government will fold without even firing a shot and suddenly you’ll see ads all over the sky even though 99% of the population doesn’t fucking want it.

  • billbasherEnglish
    1·
    7 days ago

    It would probably work better as a weapon against companies on the ground than as what is intended. Advertise for a company and piss people off so they boycott or harm the company instead of buying stuff from them

    • Footer1998@crazypeople.onlineEnglish
      1·
      7 days ago

      we dont matter though, it’ll impress investors and the media, that’s what matters these days

      we are just slaves, until we organize we have no power

  • Saledovil@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    11·
    7 days ago

    Suggestion: Deploy anti satellite 🛰 weapon, and extort other nations by threatening their satellites in order to pay off the national debt. Somebody get Donald Trump on the phone.

    I’m only half joking. Kessler syndrome is probably going to happen sooner or later anyway. And I do think it would be possible to convince Trump the scheme is a good idea if you had access to him.

  • Naich@piefed.worldEnglish
    1231·
    7 days ago

    I will not buy anything from any company that puts advertising in space. I will also make it my life’s work to persuade everyone else likewise.

    • MisterFrogEnglish
      1·
      5 days ago

      Definitely, but we can’t let this crime against humanity happen in the first place.

    • db_null@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
      41·
      7 days ago

      We’re 43 people already, the remaining 95% will continue to buy it anyway because…

      1. It just tastes better
      2. It can’t be that bad
      3. It’s convenient
      4. I’ve always bought that
      5. I have nothing to hide

      Pick as many as you like. More than just dissuading people, I think it’s high time to sabotage and destruct.

  • brapEnglish
    52·
    7 days ago

    If I see your shit advertised in space I will never buy your product again.