What would Van Gogh paint if he could not see the Milky Way? Light pollution and Starlink

By Sarah Aminoff of Safe Tech International

Would Vincent Van Gogh been able to paint “The Starry Night” Milky Way if he could no longer see the night sky due to light pollution which includes Starlink?

Vincent van Gogh painted “The Starry Night” in France in 1889; according to International Dark-Sky, “Now, the Milky Way can no longer be seen from there.”

According to International Dark-Sky Association: “Less than 100 years ago, everyone could look up and see a spectacular starry night sky. Now, millions of children across the globe will never experience the Milky Way where they live.”

Vincent Van Gogh loved the night sky

“For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream,” the Dutch painter wrote in a letter to his brother, Theo, in 1888,” according to DarkSky.org.

What would Vincent Van Gogh have painted if Starlink filled the sky a hundred years ago?

Would Vincent Van Gogh have painted space waste and called it ‘Starry Starry Satellite?’ Would our ‘wishing upon a star’ verse have a different rhyme?

Star light, star bright
First star I see, I wish tonight
I wish I may, I wish I might
Oh stars? It’s just a satellite.

“The new space race doesn’t need to create massive space waste,” experts warn, states ABC News. Many satellites have a lifespan of five years and then de-orbit. Sierra Solter-Hunt, Physicist, released a paper in 2023 warning about incinerated satellites in the atmosphere.

Scientists warn why we must keep our sky dark

“Dark skies are (important) for the well-being of humans, plants, and animals, and for opening a window to the observable universe,” states the Dark Sky Center.

“The natural world evolved with the rhythms of day and night, and light pollution disrupts that. Artificial light lures sea turtles away from the sea and toward the cities after they hatch; light pollution affects migratory and breeding patterns in animals,” according to Itemonline.

Space researchers urge regulatory agency to “press pause” on new satellite launches in a letter to the Federal Communications Commission.

If you want to see the Milky Way galaxy, we need your help! The US Public Interest Research Group has a grassroots petition that members of the public can support.

Tell the FCC: Satellite mega-constellations need environmental review. We’re in a short window of time when we can prevent making a mess of space and our atmosphere – US PIRG

Please feel free to share the petition with anyone you think might be interested!
Also sign Sierra Club’s petition to safeguard the night sky:

https://addup.sierraclub.org/campaigns/protect-the-night/petition