This week, many Brits have been baffled by a trail of mysterious lights flying through the night sky over the UK.
While some have feared an alien invasion, thankfully there's a simple explanation for the lights - they’re Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites.
They form a constellation of thousands of satellites, and are designed to provide low-cost broadband internet service from low Earth orbit.
This week, Brits have reported seeing the satellites across the UK, including over Suffolk, the Midlands and Leeds.
If you missed the display, thankfully you’ll have several other chances to spot the satellites this week.
According to Find Starlink, the Starlink display will continue all week, and will be visible from most of the UK.
Here’s a list of the best times to see the satellites from the UK this week.
When to see Starlink satellites this week
9:34 pm, 22 Apr 2020
3:06 am, 23 Apr 2020
4:38 am, 23 Apr 2020
3:40 am, 24 Apr 2020
9:10 pm, 24 Apr 2020
10:46 pm, 24 Apr 2020
4:15 am, 25 Apr 2020
The Starlink display will coincide with the tail end of the Lyrid Meteor Shower, meaning if you’re lucky, you could see also see a shooting star tonight!
The Lyrids are one of the oldest known meteor showers, having been observed for over 2,700 years!
The meteors come from leftover particles from Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, and bits from broken asteroids.
NASA explained: “When comets come around the sun, they leave a dusty trail behind them.
“Every year the Earth passes through these debris trails, which allows the bits to collide with our atmosphere where they disintegrate to create fiery and colourful streaks in the sky.”
While the official peak for the meteor shower was in the early hours of today, there may still be some meteors visible tonight.
For your best chance of seeing one, look east in the night sky tonight.
NASA advised: “Come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.
“After about 30 minutes in the dark, your eyes will adapt and you will begin to see meteors. Be patient—the show will last until dawn, so you have plenty of time to catch a glimpse.”
