Multicolor and multi-spot observations of Starlink’s Visorsat

Abstract

Abstract This study provides the results of simultaneous multicolor observations for the first Visorsat (STARLINK-1436) and the ordinary Starlink satellite (STARLINK-1113) in the U, B, V, g′, r, i, RC, IC, $z$, J, H, and Ks bands to quantitatively investigate the extent to which Visorsat reduces its reflected light. Our results are as follows: (1) in most cases, Visorsat is fainter than STARLINK-1113, and the sunshade on Visorsat therefore contributes to the reduction of the reflected sunlight; (2) the magnitude at 550 km altitude (normalized magnitude) of both satellites often reaches the naked-eye limiting magnitude (<6.0); (3) from a blackbody radiation model of the reflected flux, the peak of the reflected components of both satellites is around the $z$ band; and (4) the albedo of the near-infrared range is larger than that of the optical range. Under the assumption that Visorsat and STARLINK-1113 have the same reflectivity, we estimate the covering factor, Cf, of the sunshade on Visorsat, using the blackbody radiation model: the covering factor ranges from 0.18 ≤ Cf ≤ 0.92. From the multivariable analysis of the solar phase angle (Sun–target–observer), the normalized magnitude, and the covering factor, the phase angle versus covering factor distribution presents a moderate anti-correlation between them, suggesting that the magnitudes of Visorsat depend not only on the phase angle but also on the orientation of the sunshade along our line of sight. However, the impact on astronomical observations from Visorsat-designed satellites remains serious. Thus, new countermeasures are necessary for the Starlink satellites to further reduce reflected sunlight.