Predicted pass geometry, viewing conditions, and beam footprint data for Paris when EARENDIL-1 — the first commercial orbital mirror — launches in mid-2026.
48.9°NLATITUDE
56°MAX ELEVATION
CET/CESTTIMEZONE
~−4PEAK MAGNITUDE
♦ PRE-LAUNCH — NO MIRROR IN ORBIT YET
EARENDIL-1 is targeting a mid-2026 launch pending FCC approval. There is currently no space mirror in orbit. Pass predictions for Paris will go live on OrbitalNodes.ai from launch day — exact times, directions, and beam footprint data updated in real time.
PASS GEOMETRY
What to Expect in Paris
LATITUDE AND PASS GEOMETRY
At 48.9°N in the Northern Hemisphere, EARENDIL-1 passes are rising in the SW and crossing toward the SE. Maximum elevation up to 56°. EARENDIL-1 orbits in sun-synchronous orbit at 600–650km altitude, meaning it will pass over Paris multiple times per week when operational. The mirror is steerable — it will only be at full brightness during targeted commercial passes.
VIEWING WINDOW
OCT–MAR offers the best conditions. Like Berlin, Paris suffers summer twilight at its latitude. October through March is prime: long nights, clear anticyclone conditions, and the spectacular winter Milky Way rising in the south. 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 — significant light pollution. EARENDIL-1 at magnitude ~−4 is bright enough to be clearly visible from central Paris regardless of light pollution — comparable to Venus at maximum brightness. For darker skies, Fontainebleau Forest (~70km south) or Loire Valley (~150km SW) offers better conditions.
LOCAL CONTEXT
Paris has a special connection to the space mirror concept — Ben Nowack of Reflect Orbital has specifically cited a French artist's 1950s vision of a necklace of mirrors above the Earth reflecting sunlight through Paris as the direct inspiration for the company. The first commercial space mirror is in a sense a Parisian idea made Californian.
5KM BEAM FOOTPRINT
The 5km beam footprint could target the area from the Eiffel Tower to Notre-Dame. A commercial pass over Paris — lighting the Seine from orbit — would be Reflect Orbital's most symbolically resonant demonstration.
OBSERVER GUIDE
What EARENDIL-1 Will Look Like from Paris
From Paris, 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 Paris at Launch
OrbitalNodes.ai will provide real-time pass predictions for Paris from the moment EARENDIL-1's orbital data is published. No app download required.