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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
World
Lottie Gibbons

Track Starlink satellites over UK tonight and what they look like

Trains of lights in the night sky are continuing to amaze stargazers across the UK.

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

People across the UK and Europe reported seeing the unique chain of lights over the weekend, as the craft passed over in low orbit.

The satellites should be clear to see most nights this week.

We've rounded up everything we know on the Starlink satellites to help you spot them tonight.

How best to see the Starlink satellites?

  • You can see the satellites best under a dark, clear sky
  • Try and position yourself in as dark a location as possible at your home
  • Stay away from street lights or block them out with your hands
  • Be patient, the timings may be a few minutes out depending on your location
Starlink satellite train created by Elon Musk's SpaceX passes over the night sky in Croxteth Park, Liverpool, (Julian Hamilton/Daily Mirror)

What do they look like?

Some of the satellites may appear like a slow moving star going in a straight line.

The satellites won't 'twinkle' like a star but they may appear and disappear depending on cloud cover and atmospheric conditions.

Almost all of the satellites will be travelling in the same direction, with a similar trajectory to previous days.

What time can you see the Starlink satellites tonight?

At around 9.34pm tonight some 43 satellites will fly over Liverpool from east to west.

Their visibility varies depending on how close they are to the Earth and light pollution.

And unfortunately tonight there may be cloud covering some parts of Merseyside between 9 and 11pm.

But if you miss those due to cloud cover then at around 11.12pm some 14 satellites will fly over Merseyside, almost all of them coming again from east to west.

These could be easier to spot due to the sky being darker.

If you need a visual display to help you see the satellites, then download a free astronomy app such as Night Sky on iPhones or Sky Map for Android.

You'll also be able to see them early tomorrow morning, according to findastarlink.com.

  • 3.06am: Starlink 3 will be visible over the UK for two minutes travelling from southeast to east (bright).
  • 4.39am: Starlink 3 will be visible over the UK for five minutes travelling from west to east (bright).
  • 5.01am: Starlink 2 will be visible over the UK for three minutes travelling from south to east (dim).

When are the Starlink satellites most visible near me?

This useful website uses Google Earth and your location to show exactly when they'll pass over your house.

You can enter your location here to find the days and times they'll be most visible in your area.

You can also track the satellites using the Starlink Starlink app, which automatically calculates when the SpaceX satellites are expected to be visible above your current location.

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