IAU Centre for the Protection of the Dark and Quiet Sky
United Kingdom Community Engagement Portal
Our mission to protect the sky
The IAU Centre for the protection of the dark and Quiet Sky (IAU-CPS) is deeply concerned about the increasing number of launched and planned satellite constellations in mainly low Earth orbits. The IAU-CPS embraces the principle of a dark and radio-quiet sky, not only as essential to advancing our understanding of the Universe of which we are a part, but also for the cultural heritage of all humanity and for the protection of nocturnal wildlife.
For the first time in the UK, we are building a coordinated, grassroots network of professional astronomers, passionate amateurs, and dark-sky advocates to guide UK policymakers toward balancing satellite innovation with the protection of our night skies. You do not need to be a policy expert or a seasoned lobbyist to participate in this effort.
Join us in making a difference. It takes just a minute of your time and from there, you'll have everything you need to learn more about the issue. You will be fully equipped to encourage friends, family and even your elected representatives to get involved, and help protect the sky above us all.
Our Principles
1. Protecting the dark and quiet skies is essential for science, society, and culture.
2. Minimising orbital and atmospheric pollution is part of protecting the dark and quiet sky.
3. Mitigating satellite interference to astronomy and the night sky is an integral component of sustainable and responsible practices in space.
4. Substantially reducing the optical and infrared detectability of satellites is a necessary step toward ensuring that satellites are below visibility to the unaided eye for the majority of their operational lifetimes.
5. Protecting radio-quiet zones, as radio frequencies specifically allocated to astronomy, from intentional transmissions and unintentional radio emissions both on the ground and in space, is essential to maintain conditions required for ground-based radio astronomy.
6. Facilitating communication and mutual consultation among all stakeholders is necessary in order to create and implement fair and lasting solutions.
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Contact
Phone
info@cps-uk.org
+44 00 000 00000
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