This file photo from Space.com shows a string of satellites released from a previous SpaceX Mission.
A string of lights appearing across the sky Thursday night in the Ozarks were not UFOs, but a series of satellites released by billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX corporation.
Media outlets in both Arkansas and Southern Missouri received inquiries from the public after the objects became visible in the north sky shortly after 9 p.m.
Via its website, SpaceX says, “Starlink is a constellation of low-earth orbit satellites which will to provide high-speed, low-latency broadband connectivity across the globe.”
The satellites become visible from the ground at sunrise or sunset, SpaceX adds. “This happens because the satellites are illuminated by the Sun but people or telescopes on the ground are in the dark. These conditions only happen for a fraction of Starlink’s 90-minute orbit.”
SpaceX says it releases the satellites in groups of 60, which then spread across the night sky. Plans call for thousands of the satellites to be used in building the network, with more than 1,500 currently in orbit. The satellites which became visible Thursday were part of a launch from Starlink-26, which was launched Tuesday in Florida.
Those that missed seeing the satellites in orbit with have more chances to do so, weather permitting. Orbit will be visible in the Twin Lakes Area Friday night at 9:43, Sunday night at 8:36; Sunday night at 9:19 and 9:40 p.m., Monday at 5:06 a.m. and 8:43 p.m., Tuesday at 9:16 p.m. and Wednesday at 4:23 a.m. Stargazers should locate the Big Dipper and Little Dipper constellations and watch for the passing of the satellites in orbit.
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