Anyone seen the Starlink satellite constellation?

[randynewmanscat]

My son and I went out on Monday night circa 10pm. Lay on the trampoline under perfect clear skies, but saw only 4 v faint satellites. A bit disappointing.

Next day, my daughter was annoyed to hear she'd missed them, but the website predicted a "bright" pass at pm. Out we went - oops didn't realise it wouldn't be fully dark! I set expectations accordingly but was dragged out to the trampoline anyway... just in time to see a line of at least 20 go almost directly overhead!

Didn't think to look for the 7th cluster tonight. Damn, looks like I missed an opportunity earlier.

If you are up norf' you are out of luck with the 7th deployment just now. I set London as my location to see if you wallahs in blight might get a look in and yes you do, weather permitting.
Here is a very poor MS paint screengrab from the Heavens Above website for tonight, location set as London. It was just before 10pm my time when I watched them on Thursday night, only just past twilight here but they are easily visible.

 

[Dirk]

No, me neither, but there's plenty of reports on my local facebook group from an hour or so ago.

someone on FB mentioned it (starlink) will be visible again at around 11pm, but knowing my luck, it'll have clouded over by then.

This site is good for finding out when Starlink is around.
https://james.darpinian.com/satelli...cbozukA2bCbiF9cic0FQiE44sQYZfprGDqevq_LJr92EM

 

[MontyVeda]

This site is good for finding out when Starlink is around.
https://james.darpinian.com/satelli...cbozukA2bCbiF9cic0FQiE44sQYZfprGDqevq_LJr92EM

Thanks for that. Someone posted a link to it on FB a while back... but it's impossible finding old posts on FB, especially when you want to.

Did you even set it to Lancaster for me?

 

[neil_merseyside]

Need, maybe not, want, definitely yes for me. Elon Musks monster project to supply global connectivity at reliably fast speeds. There won't be any fibre coming past my house for a long time. I live in very remote countryside and my place is many kilometres from the nearest exchange. In suburban Britain in 2002 I had 2Mb/s internet, in 2020 in the countryside I have 2Mb/s internet, thats on a good day without neighbours affecting the contention ratio.
If Musk sets a good price point I will ditch my €36 per month orange service, no phone though which is a problem as there is no cellular reception for many kilometres from my house.
The question what are they for can be answered in an abstract way, they are to finance Mr Musks intention to send people to Mars.

How big a dish is needed, how do you send an enquiry for MuskSat to ping back down - that'll be a phone line won't it?
So fast only on the return leg of internet query?

 

[randynewmanscat]

How big a dish is needed, how do you send an enquiry for MuskSat to ping back down - that'll be a phone line won't it?
So fast only on the return leg of internet query?

It won't be a dish, probably a phased array antennae with an uplink. I used DSL/Satellite broadband when I first moved here but the subs are hellish expensive so I now suffer 2Mb/s which with flash rich websites is a reason to put the kettle on or open a beer.
SpaceX system is aimed at the most basic undeveloped earth infrastructure markets and upwards so yes it will be an uplink system, if you can power the uplink in your part of the world along with the device you are intending to use you will have internet.

 

[randynewmanscat]

I watched these at 21:58, approximately 4 minutes to pass and at a high brightness magnitude and elevation. Friday was the 3rd night since deployment and they have split into two equal length tight groups with a 4 second gap in the middle. Most spectacular yet.
I looked up London as location for you blight dwellers but the best view would have been from the south west, Lizard Point would have been the best place in Britain on Friday night but anywhere deep south or south west would have been good.
SpaceX will launch hundreds more during the year so if you want to see them there will be many opportunities to come. They make a jaw dropping sight two weeks after deployment but two or three days after being sent up they are a sight unlike any you have seen in the night sky.

 

[Donger]

After three non events, I finally got to see them last night. They were actually quite faint ..... a bit like doing that field of vision test at the opticians .... but I clearly saw twelve of them following the same course over a spread of about ten minutes, followed by one going at a slight tangent to the rest. Just before they appeared, two much brighter satellites/shooting stars crossed the sky on completely different trajectories. It is quite surprising how many objects are flying about up there, crossing the horizon at enormous speed.

If I look out for them again, at least I'll know where to stand and what direction to look in. In my case I just have to stand in the same place, line myself up with the tallest tree around and raise my head up until I can just see the eaves of my own house behind me.

 

[neil_merseyside]

I've been out 4 nights and still not seen anything special, a good few satellites but mostly random orbits with no motorway procession of any sort, did see 3 meteors earlier in the week - well 3 brief flashes dotted around but no trails or fireballs, I might have my hopes set too high...

 

[randynewmanscat]

I've been out 4 nights and still not seen anything special, a good few satellites but mostly random orbits with no motorway procession of any sort, did see 3 meteors earlier in the week - well 3 brief flashes dotted around but no trails or fireballs, I might have my hopes set too high...

This is the best site for predictions and the bonus of a real time globe so you can see them approaching your part of the world, if they are due to pass.
https://www.heavens-above.com
Set your location and look at the tables.
The latest batch are still tightly packed but split into two bunches. There is a pass of southern England tonight at 10 but its fairly low elevation so if you live in a built up area it may be a disappointment, cloud allowing too.
I am hoping the cloud here will disperse in time, the weather radar prediction says it will but I don't put too much store in that.
There will be plenty of opportunities to see these in the coming months of clear summer nights. SpaceX is set to launch another 120 during May.

 

[randynewmanscat]

After three non events, I finally got to see them last night. They were actually quite faint ..... a bit like doing that field of vision test at the opticians .... but I clearly saw twelve of them following the same course over a spread of about ten minutes, followed by one going at a slight tangent to the rest. Just before they appeared, two much brighter satellites/shooting stars crossed the sky on completely different trajectories. It is quite surprising how many objects are flying about up there, crossing the horizon at enormous speed.

If I look out for them again, at least I'll know where to stand and what direction to look in. In my case I just have to stand in the same place, line myself up with the tallest tree around and raise my head up until I can just see the eaves of my own house behind me.

I am spoiled, there is zero light pollution here, its proper dark when there is no moon. I sit out and watch the night sky sometimes and never tire of it. I've watched the Soyuz supply ship chasing the ISS before docking during three passes over the course of the night. A supply ship went up last night and the ISS is due to fly over here for the next three nights but its early hours stuff and I won't be setting my alarm.

 

[lazybloke]

The latest starlink cluster flew over the UK about 20 mins ago. This one only launched a couple of days ago, and is the brightest I've seen, but some of the passes in the next 2 days looks even better, as long as there are some more gaps between the clouds.

https://findstarlink.com/#1529;3

 

[randynewmanscat]

01:18 today your time Saturday, West to East highest elevation 78 degrees in Northern England, will be spectacular if you have never seen this before and surprisingly bright even if you are used to the sight of these.