Starlink Train Tonight — How to See SpaceX Satellites in a Line

If you’ve ever seen a string of bright dots moving in a perfect line across the night sky, you probably witnessed a Starlink train — one of the most striking sights in modern satellite watching.

What Is a Starlink Train?

When SpaceX launches a batch of Starlink internet satellites (typically 20–60 per mission), they’re initially deployed in a tight cluster at a low altitude of about 350 km. As they slowly spread out and climb to their final orbit at 550 km, they’re visible from the ground as a line of bright dots moving in formation.

This “train” effect is most dramatic in the first 1–5 days after launch when the satellites are still close together. Over the following weeks, they spread apart and raise their orbits, eventually becoming too faint and too scattered to see as a group.

What Does It Look Like?

A fresh Starlink train is unmistakable:

A line of 20+ bright dots evenly spaced, moving together across the sky
Each satellite appears as bright as a mid-magnitude star — the whole train can be brighter than the ISS
The line stretches across a significant portion of the sky
They move in the same direction at the same speed, taking 3–5 minutes to cross the sky
No blinking — steady points of light, just like other satellites

As the days pass after launch, the train stretches out. After 1–2 weeks, it becomes a loose string of widely-spaced dots. After a month, individual Starlink satellites are usually too faint to see with the naked eye.

When to Look

Like all satellite watching, Starlink trains are visible during twilight hours:

20–90 minutes after sunset or before sunrise
The satellites need to be in sunlight while your sky is dark
Clear skies are essential — even thin clouds will hide them

The best sightings happen when a launch occurred within the past 3 days. Check the LaunchSight launch schedule to see when the next Starlink mission is planned.

How to Find Starlink Trains

Check recent launches: Look at the launches page for Starlink missions in the past few days
Use a pass predictor: The Tonight tool shows satellite passes including recently launched Starlink batches
Look shortly after launch: The first evening after a Starlink launch offers the most spectacular train views
Check Starlink-specific trackers: Several websites track the current Starlink train position

The Train Gets Better Over Days

Here’s what to expect after a typical Starlink launch:

Days After Launch	What You’ll See
0–1 days	Very tight cluster, may appear as one bright object
1–3 days	Classic “train” — evenly spaced bright dots in a line
3–7 days	Longer, more spread out train with dimmer satellites
7–14 days	Widely scattered, only brightest visible with naked eye
14+ days	Individual satellites raising orbit, mostly invisible

Photography Tips

Starlink trains make fantastic photographs:

Use a tripod and a camera that allows long exposures (or a phone with “night mode”)
Set exposure to 10–20 seconds for light trails across the frame
A wide-angle lens captures more of the train at once
Point toward the predicted path and start exposing just before the satellites arrive
Multiple exposures can be stacked for dramatic trail shots

Starlink’s Brightness Controversy

Early Starlink satellites were very bright, raising concerns among astronomers. SpaceX has since added sun visors and dark coatings to reduce reflectivity. Current-generation satellites are much dimmer at their operational altitude, though freshly launched batches at low altitude remain bright for the first week or two.

How Many Starlink Satellites Are There?

As of 2024, SpaceX has launched over 6,000 Starlink satellites, with plans for up to 42,000 in the full constellation. They launch new batches roughly every 1–2 weeks, so opportunities to see a fresh train are frequent.

See More Satellites

Use the Tonight tool to find all visible satellite passes from your location — including the ISS, Hubble Space Telescope, and recently launched Starlink batches.