LowEarth

Starlink train over Melbourne tonight

When to see the Starlink “string of lights” from Melbourne, AU.

Next visible train pass
Tue, Sep 22, 7:22 PM
Peak 53.91° · appears in the NE, moves toward the S · local time, Melbourne.

Upcoming visible passes

DateTimePeakAppearsToward
Sep 227:22 PM53.91°NES
Sep 228:07 PM17.78°SWS
Sep 236:54 PM49.87°WSE
Sep 236:58 PM77.02°NS
Sep 237:45 PM50.24°NSW
Sep 247:18 PM18.28°SWS
Sep 247:21 PM35.91°NSW
Sep 248:09 PM20.33°NWSW
Sep 257:02 PM23.71°NES
Sep 257:45 PM16.03°WW
Sep 267:24 PM57.78°NES

Times are computed for Melbourne and account for darkness + sunlight, so every pass listed is genuinely visible (not in Earth's shadow).

What is the Starlink “string of lights”?

When SpaceX launches a new batch of Starlink satellites, they're released together into a low orbit and spend the first days flying in a tight line before spreading out and climbing to their final altitude. During that window they look like a slow-moving string of evenly-spaced lights — often mistaken for a UFO. It's not a meteor or aircraft: it's sunlight glinting off a fresh Starlink train. The train currently visible launched around June 13, 2025 (Falcon 9 Block 5 | Starlink Group 12-26).

How to see it from Melbourne

  • Time it for twilight — the train is only visible when your sky is dark but the satellites are still catching the Sun: roughly 1–2 hours after sunset or before sunrise.
  • Look in the direction listed above — the line of lights rises near that horizon and drifts across the sky over 1–4 minutes.
  • Get away from streetlights and let your eyes adjust for a few minutes.
  • No equipment needed — a fresh train is easily naked-eye; binoculars make the spacing dramatic.

Get a Starlink-train alert for Melbourne

Browser push, no email needed. We'll notify you before the next visible Starlink train passes over Melbourne.

Prefer email?

One heads-up before the next visible train over Melbourne. Never more than 2/week.

Want a heads-up for every fresh train, in multiple cities, plus breakup & reentry alerts? LowEarth Pro →