New observation result published on arXiv: Starlink Generation 2 Mini Satellites: Photometric Characterization

Abstract:

Starlink Generation 2 Mini satellites are fainter than Gen 1 spacecraft despite their larger size. The mean of apparent magnitudes for satellites in brightness mitigation mode is 7.06 +/- 0.10. When these magnitudes are adjusted to a uniform distance of 1,000 km that mean is 7.87 +/- 0.09. The brightness mitigation mode reduces distance-adjusted satellite luminosity by a factor of 12 relative to spacecraft that are not mitigated.

In Satellite Constellations 1 Workshop organized by American Astronomical Society, astronomers recommend that satellite operators reduce satellite brightness to magnitude 7 at 550km orbit in order to minimize impact to large survey telescopes such as the Vera Rubin Observatory:

Recommendation 5

Reflected sunlight ideally should be slowly varying with orbital phase as recorded by high etendue (effective area × field of view), large-aperture ground-based telescopes to be fainter than 7.0 Vmag + 2.5 × log(rorbit / 550km), equivalent to 44 × (550 km / rorbit) watts/steradian.

Looks like with the new brightness mitigation designs, Starlink V2 Mini has reached this target. For details on the brightness mitigation methods SpaceX used for Starlink V2, refer to their Brightness Mitigation Best Practices For Satellite Operators document.

Also 7th magnitude is right at the edge or beyond what naked eye can see in the best conditions, which means Starlink V2 Mini in its operational orbit would be basically invisible to the naked eye, this would remove any concerns of Starlink changing the night sky.