What to know about Starlink satellites appearing as a chain of lights in the sky

Starlink satellites have darted across the night sky in recent months, giving skygazers new objects to look at in the sky. Connecticut residents have taken to Reddit and other social media platforms in recent months to share pictures of the lights from the satellites, which have inspired intrigue for some on lookers.

Launched into the night sky every few days, these satellites form a chain of lights in the sky as they orbit the Earth. The next Starlink launch will take place on March 27. The satellites are fast-moving and travel around the Earth at 17,000 mph, orbiting the Earth once every 90 minutes.

Binoculars or other telescopic devices are not needed to see the Starlink satellites, meaning that Connecticut residents can sometimes get a clear view of the astral objects as they dart past the Nutmeg State.

What are Starlink satellites?

Starlink satellites are a constellation of low-orbiting satellites that provide

broadband internet to subscribers of the Starlink internet service, according to the Starlink website. The service includes a hardware dish to connect to the high-speed internet provided by Starlink.

Starlink satellites are put into orbit by SpaceX and orbit the Earth at 341.7 miles above the planet.

There are 5,587 active Starlink satellites in orbit, according to Space.com, More than 400 satellites launched this year, with more than 6,000 satellites launched by SpaceX. SpaceX has recently de-orbited some older Starlink satellite models.

Between 20 and 24 Starlink satellites are launched at time. more than 400 satellites being launched so far this year.

What do Starlink satellites look like in the sky?

Starlink satellites can appear like a chain of bright lights moving quickly in the night sky. Their appearance has been described as a string of pearls or a train of bright lights, according to the BBC.

How often can Starlink satellites be seen above Connecticut?

Websites such as Find Starlink track the movements of the satellites as they orbit the Earth. The satellites are visible every night in Connecticut, though some nights have better visibility than others. For example, The satellites will have good visibility only once during the next week while most other nights are classified as having “average” or “poor” visibility. The Find Starlink website notes that the new Starlink satellites, which were launched on March 25, may not be immediately visible above the skies in Connecticut, and may take a few weeks until they appear.

Ian Forsyth/Getty Images A satellite from a larger group of satellites called Starlink can be seen trailing across the night sky as another satellite heads towards it.