The large BRIN telescope monitors the Sky Junk, Located at the edge of RI

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – The National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) is preparing a large telescope in Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT). The telescope will be responsible for observing satellites, including if they have problems.

For reference, the telescope has a mirror diameter of 3.8 meters. The telescope is placed at Timau National Observatory, Kupang, NTT.

BRIN Timau National Observatory Coordinator Abdul Rachman explained that it was important to observe the satellite. This is related to the issue of space debris, which has the potential to hit active satellites.

It is a man-made object that is in orbit, but is no longer operational. This topic has become an important international issue, and is even discussed by the UN every year.

“The issue of space debris is very important because this debris cannot be controlled. Therefore, it could hit satellites that are still working actively, and lead to potentially fatal damage,” said in his statement from the BRIN website, Monday. 14/10/2024).

He explained that the methods of observation and analysis in astronomical observation are astrometry, photometry and spectroscopy. This technique has been used to spot satellites and space debris.

The telescope used to observe satellites has a very high rate, or speed of change of position. Because objects such as satellites and space debris have very fast speeds and are many times the speed of the stars.

The results of telescope observation pictures are also different from astronomical objects. Because its appearance is in the form of a straight line or a white dot in the middle of a cluster of stars.

“However, analysis of these lines or points can provide very useful information from a scientific and practical point of view,” he said.

Meanwhile, researchers from the BRIN Space Research Center have been observing satellites with various instruments since 2014. These include binoculars and portable digital cameras.

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