Starlink space display set to continue all week throughout the UK

Scheme by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk's SpaceX firm casts unique chain of lights in Britain's night skies
The satellites are part of a project launched with the aim of improving global internet coverage
EPA
David Child21 April 2020

Trains of lights in the night sky from SpaceX satellites passing over the UK should be visible for the rest of the week, according to space experts.

The 60 Starlink satellites are part of a scheme by tech entrepreneur Elon Musk’s company, launched with the aim of improving global internet coverage.

More than 300 satellites have been launched so far, with the network eventually set to reach 12,000, rising to as many as 42,000 in the future.

Once in place, the network - known as a mega constellation - will be able to beam internet coverage down to any location on Earth.

The most recent batch was launched in mid-March, with another batch scheduled to be launched on Thursday.

Meanwhile, people across the UK reported seeing the unique chain of lights last night, as the craft passed over in low orbit.

Stargazers have been using apps and websites to check when they can spot the display, with some of those fortunate enough to catch a glimpse uploading footage of the phenomenon on social media.

According to the The National Space Centre in Leicester, the satellites are launched in batches of 60 deploying into an orbit about 180 miles above our planet, before moving to an operational altitude of around 340 miles.

Sophie Allan, a member of the centre's team, told the BBC current good visibility of the Starlink equipment was because of a combination of the latest batch's low orbit, clear night skies and the angle of the satellites in relation to the sun.

Allan said she expected this to continue for at least another five days.

However, despite the apparently advantageous conditions, many appear to have missed out on a sighting of the satellites so far.

Instead, several frustrated would-be Starlink spotters have taken to social media to express their dismay.

While others turned to humour instead.

Despite widespread interest in the Starlink project, some have raised concerns over the impact the new network could have on other activities, such as astronomy.

As a result, SpaceX has started to coat the devices with dark paint in order to reduce their brightness.

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