What they are and when you can see them in New Mexico
NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – A string of lights in the night sky has caught the attention of many New Mexicans and has left some wondering what they are seeing. Don’t worry; it’s not aliens. Those lights are SpaceX’s Starlink satellites.
Starlink was first launched in 2019 and consists of thousands of satellites that are orbiting at around 342 miles above Earth, according to space.com. The satellites provide broadband internet access all around the globe. Due to the low orbit of the satellites, the internet latency – the time it takes to transfer data – is significantly lower than that of geostationary satellites.
While the satellites look like bright lights from Earth, they are not emitting their own light but are instead reflecting sunlight. The brightness of Starlink has caused some controversy among astronomers due to its contribution to light pollution. SpaceX has since been working to shade the most reflective parts of the satellites in an effort to reduce their light emission.
If you are wondering when you’ll next be able to see the satellites, there are now a handful of resources online. Satellitemap.space has an interactive map of Earth that shows the location of each Starlink satellite grouping. Findstarlink.com allows users to see when the satellites will be visible from specific locations.
When Can You See Starlink?
Below is a list of “good visibility” timings to see Starlink in New Mexico from findstarlink.com for the week of July 17, 2023
Sunday, July 16, 2023, at around 9:59 p.m.
Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at around 9:04 p.m.
Thursday, July 20, 2023, at around 9:17 p.m.
Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at around 9:05 p.m.
Thursday, July 20, 2023, at around 9:18 p.m.
Tuesday, July 18, 2023, at around 8:52 p.m.
Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at around 9:05 p.m.
Sunday, July 16, 2023, at around 9:59 p.m.
Monday, July 17, 2023, at around 10:12 p.m.
Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at around 9:04 p.m.
Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at around 9:04 p.m.
Thursday, July 20, 2023, at around 9:17 p.m.
Source: KRQE News 13
