Our sky is packed with satellites — and now we can finally see it.

🚨 Our sky is packed with satellites — and now we can finally see it. 

This new tracking system shows just how crowded space really is.

For the first time ever, researchers have captured a staggering visual record of satellite activity over the Arctic—revealing just how crowded the skies above the North Pole have become. 

Using a network of 14 low-cost, meteor-tracking cameras, scientists from Western University and Defence R&D Canada deployed a cutting-edge satellite-monitoring system in Eureka, Nunavut. 

On February 22, 2025, their long-exposure imaging setup recorded countless white streaks across the night sky, each one representing a satellite silently passing overhead.

This Arctic-based tracking system has already logged over 17,000 unique satellites and nearly half a billion satellite observations—detecting objects as small as 30 cm. 

Beyond offering jaw-dropping visuals, the project delivers critical data for astronomers battling light pollution, scientists studying atmospheric changes, and engineers navigating the growing risk of orbital collisions. As megaconstellations continue to multiply, this unprecedented Arctic surveillance reminds us that Earth’s final frontier is no longer empty—it’s crowded, active, and in urgent need of responsible stewardship.

Image credit: U.Western and Defence R&D Canada