Starlink train over New York tonight
When to see the Starlink “string of lights” from New York, NY.
Upcoming visible passes
| Date | Time | Peak | Appears | Toward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21 | 8:20 PM | 17.21° | SE | N |
| Sep 21 | 8:37 PM | 49.88° | N | SW |
| Sep 21 | 9:04 PM | 15.78° | S | NW |
| Sep 22 | 9:01 PM | 21.43° | NW | SW |
| Sep 23 | 7:53 PM | 17.95° | NE | SE |
| Sep 24 | 6:00 AM | 15.35° | SE | SE |
| Sep 24 | 8:14 PM | 21.39° | NE | S |
Times are computed for New York 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 New York
- 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.
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