Glitterball in space!
3ft man-made ‘star’ that’ll be seen from every point on Earth
IT MAY be just 3ft across, but this glitterball is set to be seen from every point on the planet after being launched into space.
Designed to reflect the sun’s rays, the man-made ball – named the ‘Humanity Star’ – has 65 carbon-fibre panels.
Scientists launched it by rocket from New Zealand on Sunday, but its existence was made public only yesterday. Stargazers will be able to catch a glimpse of it as it passes over Britain next month, although the 18lb ball will be visible for just minutes at a time.
The satellite is currently in orbit at about 200 miles, and will be pulled back towards the planet by gravity in about nine months’ time, burning up on re-entry. US commercial space firm Rocket Lab, which made the Humanity Star, hopes it will be the brightest object in the night sky.
Rocket Lab said the aim was to make people think about others in the world, but the firm’s boss Peter Beck added: ‘In all honesty, yes, it’s a giant mirror ball.’
It is orbiting the Earth every 90 minutes in an elliptical pattern, travelling at 27 times the speed of sound. Mr Beck said that he hoped to launch more of the balls into orbit, but was waiting to see what the public reaction was and whether the project would be financially viable.
The website for the satellite states: ‘Essentially it creates a similar effect as a disco ball, creating the appearance of a bright flashing shooting star.’
Mr Beck said the object will be noticeable but not so bright it will distract to pilots or stargazers.
The ball will be seen in Edinburgh for two minutes on February 18, London on February 25 for 90 seconds, and in skies above Cornwall on March 1 for roughly two-and-a-half minutes. The satellite can be tracked at www.thehumanitystar.com, and experts will calculate exact viewing times about ten days in advance.