Astrophotographer Brendan Larsen accused of using AI to create satellite image

Larsen’s post attracted 15,000 new followers and tens of millions of views, and has prompted thousands of comments expressing both admiration and alarm about the increasing number of satellites. He notes that 16,000 working satellites and many defunct spacecrafts orbit the Earth, and that studies warn metal particles from space activities could affect atmospheric chemistry and the ozone layer.

The incident illustrates the challenges of verifying authenticity in an era of advanced AI image generators and raises questions about the environmental impact of the growing satellite constellation.