Brendan Larsen, a 51-year-old astrophotographer based in New Zealand, is responding to widespread skepticism after a photograph he captured of the night sky went viral. The image, which shows thousands of satellites crisscrossing the sky above Mount Taranaki, has been viewed millions of times since Larsen posted it in mid-October. Despite the visual clarity, many online viewers dismissed the work as artificial intelligence, prompting Larsen to document his technical process to prove its authenticity.
40 Hours of Manual Editing
Larsen created the image by taking 578 separate photographs over a two-hour period in September. He set his camera to capture eight-second exposures with a two-second gap between each shot. Each individual frame contained approximately 25 satellites moving across the sky. The challenge lay not in the capture, but in the post-production phase.
Using Adobe Photoshop, Larsen spent roughly 40 hours layering the individual photos. He had to painstakingly erase the stars from each layer to reveal the satellite trails underneath. This manual process resulted in an image displaying about 1,400 satellites and 14,000 distinct trails. The final composition shows a dense, cross-hatching pattern of light above the mountain.
“I could start to see the pattern emerging and realised: ‘Wow, it looks really awesome,’” Larsen said. “I knew if I carried on it would look even better and more impressive in terms of satellite numbers.”
Concerns Over Space Debris
The viral nature of the satellite image has sparked a broader conversation about the state of Earth’s orbit. Larsen noted that while the image is visually striking, it highlights a disturbing trend. He has observed an increase in both light pollution and satellite density over the six years he has been photographing the night sky.
Currently, there are approximately 16,000 working satellites in orbit, alongside tens of thousands of defunct spacecraft, rocket parts, and debris. Studies have warned that metal particles from rocket launches and satellite reentries could affect atmospheric chemistry and the ozone layer. The United Nations has also raised concerns about the risks increased space activity poses to ground safety, darkness, and astronomical observation.
Larsen hopes his work will encourage reflection on responsible satellite usage. He received about 10,000 comments on his Facebook page, with many viewers expressing concern. “Nine out of 10 of the comments are like: ‘Wow, beautiful photo, but horrifying, terrifying and really concerning about what’s happening to the night sky,’” he said.
Fighting AI Accusations
The backlash against the photo was predictable for Larsen. He acknowledged that generative AI software has become so advanced that distinguishing it from real photography is difficult, especially for those unfamiliar with astrophotography or the specific location. However, he found it frustrating to see his work downloaded and recreated by AI tools, which often introduced obvious flaws.
To counter the accusations, Larsen released a video documenting his creative process. He believes this transparency will help viewers understand the effort involved and form an emotional connection to the landscape. His goal is to raise awareness and build support for protecting the night sky from the growing clutter of space debris.
Source: The Guardian
