Strange Light Formations in Night Sky Over Kentucky and Indiana Explained
A few of my friends in Kentucky and Indiana made Facebook posts like the video below regarding mysterious light formations they witnessed in the sky the past few nights. It seemed to be about twenty glowing orbs evenly spaced in a line slowly making their way above the rooftops. Like a group of drones had gotten lost from Holiday World.
Line of Lights Moving Through the Sky
The first thing that popped into my head was Santa's sleigh. If each reindeer had its own flying saucer or something, that is. With so much talk about UFOs and the general state of craziness in the world, there was a lot of confusion on social media about what this drone-like line of lights could be.
Starlink Satellite Internet
The good news is there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for the light show thanks to Elon Musk. Starlink is the name of the internet service offered by Musk's SpaceX company. The initial launch in 2019 was made of about 60 satellites, but over the past several years, that number has grown to over 4,000. That number will continue to creep up as SpaceX's goal is to provide high-speed coverage all over the world, including rural areas or places that have been unreachable until recent years.
Satellites Visible to Earth
Starlink satellites are launched from ground level and are only visible as they begin their ascent above the clouds. From there, they are dispersed all over the planet. Here is a video that explains the science behind the satellite technology used.
Is Starlink Available in Kentucky and Indiana yet?
While this is a premiere service when it comes to quality and speed, it is super pricey. $599 for the necessary hardware and then $120 a month for the subscription. According to the Starlink website, coverage is not yet available for my part of town, but I wonder if the recent sightings of the satellite trains mean it will be soon. The website also claims they plan to offer internet in Owensboro sometime this year. It looks like some areas in Kentucky and Indiana have coverage, but they seem to be more rural areas that may not have any other options for internet. At that cost though, I will just have to be happy with what I have!