Line of lightsin the sky 2023

They prompted numerous UFO-sighting reports when they first took to the skies and are sometimes confused for lights on an airplane But the long lines of lights are only visible shortly after launch making them all the more exciting when you do spot them.

The Find Starlink website states they were most visible at 7.45pm last night from west to north east for around five minutes and it is likely they will still be visible over the coming days. Once the satellites climb to their operating altitude they disperse and are far more difficult to differentiate against the backdrop of stars, making them less visible as time goes on.

Line of lightsin the sky 2024

A line of lights visible in the sky last night were Starlink satellites. Spotted clearly for the first time this year, hundreds across Cornwall were bemused by the sight.

Line of lightsin the sky tonight

Starlink satellites orbit approximately 342 miles (550 kilometers) above Earth and put on a spectacular show for observers as they move across the sky. June 2020 was the first time UK stargazers caught a glimpse of the constellation of satellites when SpaceX launched around 60 on board a Falcon 9 rocket.

But Sunday night (October 22) gave an extraordinary glimpse of the satellites for stargazers in Cornwall. Appearing as a string of bright lights in the sky, Starlink 'trains' as they are called look unlike anything else in the night sky.

The satellites, created by billionaire Elon Musk's SpaceX company, are designed to provide reliable low-cost internet across the globe from low Earth orbit by forming a specific constellation. But they are rarely visible and are often seen only after launch.