Predicted pass geometry, viewing conditions, and beam footprint data for Melbourne when EARENDIL-1 — the first commercial orbital mirror — launches later in 2026.
Near-overhead pass — the mirror climbs high, giving the brightest and longest view.
90°Overhead Pass
NW→NERises · Sets
3–5Passes / Week
mag −4Peak Brightness
Predicted geometry for the planned 88° near-polar orbit at 625 km. Eärendil-1 has not launched, so these are modelled figures, not observations — and because the orbit is not sun-synchronous, pass times drift through the year rather than recurring at a fixed hour.
MELBOURNE37.8°SViewing conditions by month
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Best monthsLess favourable
Best: APR–OCT. Southern winter — long nights and the driest, steadiest air of the year.
90°Overhead Pass
3–5/wkPasses
B8Bortle
Seasonal guidance only — based on this location’s latitude and climate, not on Eärendil-1 observations. The mirror has not launched, and because its orbit is not sun-synchronous the pass times themselves drift through the year independently of the weather.
PASS GEOMETRY
What to Expect in Melbourne
LATITUDE AND PASS GEOMETRY
At 37.8°S in the Southern Hemisphere, EARENDIL-1 passes are rising in the NW and crossing toward the NE, reversed from northern hemisphere. The mirror can pass directly overhead — an 88° orbit crosses this latitude. EARENDIL-1 orbits in an 88° near-polar orbit at 600–650km altitude, meaning it will pass over Melbourne multiple times per week when operational. The mirror is steerable — it will only be at full brightness during targeted commercial passes.
VIEWING WINDOW
APR–OCT offers the best conditions. Melbourne's famously changeable weather is worse in summer. The dry, clear winter months May–August offer the most reliable viewing. The Great Ocean Road (90 minutes) offers dark sky access. Like all satellites, EARENDIL-1 is only visible during twilight — when your sky is dark but the mirror is still in direct sunlight.
LIGHT POLLUTION BORTLE 8
City sky. EARENDIL-1 at magnitude −4 is bright enough to be clearly visible from central Melbourne regardless of light pollution — comparable to Venus at maximum brightness. For darker skies, Yarra Valley (60km east) or Macedon Ranges (80km NW) offers better conditions.
LOCAL CONTEXT
Melbourne's flat southern horizon and clear winter skies make it one of Australia's best mirror-viewing cities. The CBD-to-bay geography means a footprint could sweep from the MCG to Port Phillip Bay in a single pass.
5KM BEAM FOOTPRINT
The 5km beam could target landmarks from Flinders Street to St Kilda Beach. Melbourne's grid layout and large flat ground footprint make geometric targeting straightforward.
OBSERVER GUIDE
What EARENDIL-1 Will Look Like from Melbourne
From Melbourne, EARENDIL-1 passes will appear as a fast-moving point of light crossing the sky in approximately 3–4 minutes. At peak brightness it will reach magnitude −4 — comparable to Venus at maximum and clearly visible even from the city centre. It will be one of the brightest objects in the sky during a pass.
The mirror is steerable — between targeted commercial passes, Reflect Orbital tilts it away from Earth, making it much dimmer. During an active pass you'll see a sudden brightening as the beam angle locks onto the target region, then abrupt dimming when the mirror tilts away again.
Track EARENDIL-1 from Melbourne at Launch
OrbitalNodes.ai will provide real-time pass predictions for Melbourne from the moment EARENDIL-1's orbital data is published. No app download required.
OrbitalSolar.ai. “EARENDIL-1 Over Melbourne”. https://orbitalsolar.ai/melbourne/
Figures on this page are modelled from Eärendil-1’s planned 88° orbit at 625 km — the spacecraft has not launched, so nothing here is an observation. Released under CC BY 4.0: quote, republish or build on it with credit to OrbitalSolar.ai.
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