Those Strange Sky Lights Everyone Saw? It Was Starlink

Last night, I saw a few folks post photos and videos like the one below of mysterious light formations they witnessed in the sky. It seemed to be a little over twenty-thirty glowing orbs evenly spaced in a line, slowly making their way above the rooftops. Like a group of drones had gotten lost.

From UFO conspiracy theories floating around the internet to the general state of craziness in the world, as you can imagine, there was a lot of chatter about what it could be. If I hadn't seen these things before, I'd also be pretty confused.

Get our free mobile app

Starlink Satellite Internet

The good news is there is a perfectly reasonable explanation for the light show, thanks to Elon Musk. His SpaceX company, Starlink, is an internet service. The initial launch in 2019 was made of about 60 satellites, but over the past several years, that number has grown to almost 10,000.  SpaceX's goal is to provide high-speed coverage all over the world, including rural areas and 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. This is what was seen in the sky here recently. From there, they are dispersed all over the planet. Here is a video that explains the science behind the satellite technology used.

So don't worry! No alien life forms or spy drones. Just some satellites dancing around doing their jobs.