KentOnline

bannermobile

News

Sport

Business

What's On

Advertise

Contact

Other KM sites

CORONAVIRUS WATCH KMTV LIVE SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTERS LISTEN TO OUR PODCASTS LISTEN TO KMFM
SUBSCRIBE AND SAVE
News

When you can see Elon Musk's Starlink satellites light up night sky in Kent this week

By: Brad Harper bharper@thekmgroup.co.uk

Published: 16:22, 22 April 2020

Updated: 16:23, 22 April 2020

Strange trains of star-like lights have been appearing in the sky since the weekend, with people in Kent managing to spot them.

The satellites are part of Elon Musk's Space X programme - dubbed Starlink.

Pictures of Starlink captured in Gravesend on Monday. Picture: Jason Arthur

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.

The project aims to put thousands of small, low-orbit satellites above the Earth in order to improve internet service across the globe.

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

mpu1

SpaceX launches Starlink satellites in batches of 60 before they gradually rise to a higher orbit and becoming less visible.

The most recent batch was launched in mid-March, with another batch scheduled to be launched on April 23.

Pictures of Starlink captured in Gravesend on Monday. Picture: Jason Arthur (33882284)

When can I see them?

Stargazing websites and apps have enabled people to find out when the satellites can be spotted from their current location.

One of them, findstarlink.com, has listed the timings of when you can see them.

Times can vary by about 10 minutes - but here is when you can spot them...

April 22

mpu2

At 9.34pm, Starlink-5 and 6 will be visible, travelling from west to east.

April 23

At 4.38am, Starlink-5 will be visible, travelling from west to east.

April 24

At 9.10pm, Starlink-5 and 6 will be visible, travelling from west to east.

April 25

At 4.14am, Starlink-3 will be visible, travelling from west to east.

Then at 9.46pm, Starlink-5 and 6 will be visible, travelling from west to east.

April 26

At 4.50am, Starlink-3 will be visible, travelling from west to east.

Read more: All the latest news from Kent

Read more

More by this author

sticky

© KM Group - 2024