It wasn’t an alien invasion. These were 53 Starlink internet satellites launched Friday by SpaceX from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Starlink satellites stream the night sky Aug. 19 at 9:46 p.m., Washington County, Ore. (Alexis Carlston) Jim Todd, OMSI’s Director of Space Science Education, said in an email that astrologers may have another chance to see the “moving train” of lights on Saturday at 9:44 p.m. at “elevation 70 northwest”. “For best viewing, position yourself in as dark a location as possible, away from any possible light,” Todd said. “At first, the satellites appeared to be stretched out in a straight line measuring about five to eight degrees in apparent longitude.” As the satellites orbit the earth, they will spread out and may weaken as they slowly rise into their 342-mile operational orbits, Todd said. Todd suggests scanning the sky with binoculars to get another look at the satellites. “A lot depends on how the angle of reflected sunlight hits the satellites in the hours just after sunset or before sunrise,” he said. Copyright 2022 KPTV-KPDX. All rights reserved.
