On-Demand ‘Meteor Showers’ Set To Grace The Skies From Above Earth
Image via ALE Co. / PR Newswire
The stunning phenomenon of a meteor shower is something only some get to witness in their lifetime. The fiery streaking light of galactic rocks blazing through the night sky is a moment that would have people staring up to the heavens in awe and reminding us of how small we are in this universe.
Most meteor showers require specific conditions for people to see them happen. One is that they have to take place against a pitch-black sky, which means no light pollution. With most of society living in more densely-populated and brightly-lit areas, one would need to travel out to the boondocks between the hours of two and four in the morning to watch such a cosmic event.
However, one Japanese company is taking a shot at making this dazzling phenomenon a little easier to see by working on humanmade comets. That means we could be teetering on a future where meteor showers are now an on-demand feature in our night skies, like fireworks or drone shows.
Image via ALE Co. / PR Newswire
The Sky Canvas project by Japanese startup ALE Co. centers around dropping 0.4-inch-wide spheres made of satellite material to use as shooting stars by burning them up in the atmosphere.
According to the company, anyone anywhere on Earth can view the spectacle, which will span 62 miles in each direction. It will also travel much slower and glow brighter than real comets, making it easier to catch.
Of course, such a plan has raised some concerns, mainly regarding safety. ALE notes that the spheres are made from the same composite as natural asteroids, ensuring they will burn before ever reaching Earth. They also won’t be able to hit aircraft, as they’ll be dropped from much higher up. And they should only minimally impact the environment and astronomical observations.
Image via ALE Co. / PR Newswire
Besides delivering a cosmic event of such proportions, the startup also hopes this will help scientists learn more about the mesosphere—an area too high for weather balloons and aircraft to study but too low for satellites. The meteorites will be dropped in this area to burn and possibly give new insight to researchers.
The whole idea seems grand and a little farfetched. Still, apparently, there already is a satellite up in space holding these artificial comets, which launched in 2019 after ALE acquired the relevant permits and approvals. Don’t worry; they’re not about to blast any time soon. The first commercial show might only take place in 2025.
That being said, it makes one wonder if toying with nature like this will benefit society. New Atlas posits that it might still be hard to see the fake meteors over the city lights no matter where you live.
On top of that, shooting stars are as coveted as they are because of their rarity. If you could look out your window on a regular Tuesday night and observe such an event, would it still hold as much significance as it once did?
[via New Atlas and PR Newswire, images via ALE Co. / PR Newswire]
