Last night, some Slovenians, Croatians and Italians were moved by what was happening in the night sky, where they noticed a strange moving light. Apparently, it is the new StarLink satellites of the SpaceX company, which are intended to provide global Internet access. This was also confirmed by the Croatian Astronomical Association.
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“What was seen in the sky tonight are SpaceX’s new StarLink satellites Elon Musk, which serve to provide global Internet services. When they are released from the rocket, they follow each other and then expand and go in parallel very close to each other until they disperse and each reach their own orbits.” announced the Croatian Astronomical Association.
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Some readers also informed us about the phenomenon in the sky. “Many lights suddenly appeared in a straight line in the sky, moving towards the east and then suddenly disappearing,” wrote us a reader who observed the phenomenon in Osor. A little before 10 p.m., satellites were also seen in Trebnje.
Thousands of StarLink satellites in orbit
StarLink satellites orbit in a low orbit due to better connections between the satellite and the Earth. However, many satellites are needed to cover the entire planet. According to some data, SpaceX has sent around 3,000 satellites into the sky since 2018, with a total of between 10,000 and 12,000 planned. Musk’s latest package of satellites took off from Florida on Saturday. The rocket carried 53 satellites into orbit, he reports Index.hr.
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StarLink’s satellites also cause problems for astronomers. At sunrise and sunset, they can be seen with the naked eye, as the reflection of the sun is visible on their wings. This can cause streaks in telescope images and obstruct the view of stars and planets.
