Starlink train over Portland tonight
When to see the Starlink “string of lights” from Portland, OR.
Upcoming visible passes
| Date | Time | Peak | Appears | Toward |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 21 | 8:24 PM | 27.84° | SE | N |
| Sep 21 | 8:39 PM | 70.86° | N | S |
| Sep 21 | 9:08 PM | 34.82° | S | NW |
| Sep 22 | 8:47 PM | 44.91° | SE | N |
| Sep 22 | 9:02 PM | 41.73° | N | SW |
| Sep 22 | 9:32 PM | 16.71° | SW | NW |
| Sep 23 | 8:24 PM | 25.59° | SE | N |
| Sep 23 | 9:09 PM | 30.96° | S | NW |
| Sep 23 | 9:25 PM | 20.14° | NW | SW |
| Sep 24 | 8:16 PM | 26.10° | NE | SE |
| Sep 24 | 8:46 PM | 36.04° | SE | N |
| Sep 25 | 6:24 AM | 19.97° | S | E |
Times are computed for Portland 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 Portland
- 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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