Satellite watching (satellite spotting) is a kind of hobby where people like to observe or to track satellites. Such people are called observers, trackers, satellite watchers. A great number of planetariums and special computer programs exist in order to help people spot satellites. Also, due to modern technologies mobile programs have been developed with the aim of watching satellites. NASA’s Orbital Information Group have been showing full information about approximately 10,000 objects in the orbit of the Earth. But recently this information has been determined as a kind of security danger and has been replaced by the OIG website with more restrictive rules of the access.
The hobby of satellite watching is based around the observance and tracking of the various artificial satellites that populate the night sky.
Since telescopes have a very hard time keeping up with satellites that usually move at great speeds, satellite watching is performed with binoculars or by simply employing the naked eye. It is the speed which with the satellites move around that makes them easy to spot around the night sky. Since a dark sky is vital for performing the activity, residents of big urban areas need to get away from the city lights towards less bright and flashy for being able to watch the sky undisturbed.
Satellites tend to move faster than aircraft in the sky through the difference of speed is barely noticeable for earthbound observers. Different satellites move at different speeds with individual satellites maintaining constant speed and direction. Satellites in the sky are essay to distinguish from aircraft because they don’t leave contrails behind. Satellites are visible due to the sun reflecting on their panels, they are not constructed for self-luminescence.