Humanity Star: how to see the giant 'disco ball' orbiting Earth
New Zealand-based space company Rocket Lab secretly launched a 'giant disco ball' into orbit earlier this week.
Dubbed the 'Humanity Star', the glistening object is expected to be visible in the night sky across the planet over the next nine months.
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Hide AdHowever, the experiment has already been criticised by a science community that already struggles to observe the universe through light pollution and space debris.
What is the Humanity Star?
The Humanity Star is a three-foot-wide geodesic sphere made from carbon fibre and fitted with 65 highly reflective panels.
It was secretly launched from a remote farm on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand, alongside more conventional satellites.
According to Rocket Lab, the sphere will reflect the sun’s rays, creating a flashing light visible from Earth.
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Hide AdThe Humanity Star will be the brightest object in the night sky for around nine months, after which it will re-enter the atmosphere, burning up and leaving no trace in space or on Earth.
'Humanity is capable of great and kind things... The Humanity Star is to remind us of this.' (Photo: Rocket Lab)
What's the point of it?
Rocket Lab have said that the experiment is designed as a “reminder to all on Earth about our fragile place in the universe”.
The company’s chief executive and founder, Peter Beck, said the Humanity Star will “create a shared experience for everyone on the planet”.
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Hide Ad"Humanity is finite, and we won't be here forever," he said. "Yet in the face of this almost inconceivable insignificance, humanity is capable of great and kind things... The Humanity Star is to remind us of this."
He labelled the launch - which was achieved with a battery-powered, 3D printed rocket - as an “almost unprecedented” step towards commercial space exploration.
You can track the progress of the Humanity Star on its website -www.thehumanitystar.com
How can I see it?
The plan is for the flashing satellite to make passes over as much of the globe as possible, and it is currently orbiting the planet every 90 minutes.
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Hide Ad"Rich or in poverty, in conflict or at peace, everyone will be able to see the Humanity Star orbiting Earth," said Beck.
The Humanity Star's website states that astronomers in the UK "will not be able to see the satellite within the next 2087 hours", which equates to roughly 87 days.
That suggests it won't be visible until late April, but you can keep up to date with the satellite's position by heading to thehumanitystar.com.
When it does cross the UK, it will be visible with the naked eye.
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