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Why Starlink trains get reported as UFOs
A silent line of lights sliding across the sky is one of the most reported UFOs in the world. It’s almost always a fresh batch of Starlink satellites.
By Track the Unknown ·
What you’re seeing
SpaceX launches its Starlink internet satellites dozens at a time. For a few days after each launch they travel in a tight line, one after another, while they climb to their working orbits. From the ground that looks like a string of pearls: a straight line of evenly spaced lights gliding silently across the sky.
Why they appear and disappear
Satellites don’t make their own light. They shine because they catch sunlight while you’re standing in darkness, so trains are easiest to see in the first hour or two after sunset and before sunrise. As the line moves into Earth’s shadow, the lights fade out one by one, mid-sky, which can look like they’re switching off.
After a week or two the satellites spread out and climb higher, and the train disappears.
How to tell it’s Starlink
- The lights are in a straight line, evenly spaced.
- They’re silent and move at a steady speed, all in the same direction.
- They don’t blink. Aircraft have flashing strobes and red and green lights.
- They often fade out together partway across the sky.
Check your sighting
Our sky checker works out which satellites, including Starlink trains, passed over your location at the time you saw something, which way they were heading and how high they were. More detail: Starlink satellite trains explained.
Tags: Starlink, Satellites, How to identify