Starlink train tonight — what it is and how to see it
A perfectly straight line of lights gliding across the night sky isn't aliens — it's a Starlink train: a batch of newly launched SpaceX internet satellites still bunched together. Open the live 3D map to see where every Starlink satellite is right now, or get a free alert when one passes over you.
Why the satellites form a “train”
Each Falcon 9 mission releases 20–60 Starlink satellites into the same low orbit at once. For the first days they follow each other in a tight line — bright, evenly spaced dots crossing the sky in 2–5 minutes. Over the following weeks they raise their orbits and disperse, so the train effect fades: fresh launches make the best shows. Check the next SpaceX launch to know when a new train goes up.
How to see it tonight
- Timing: 1–2 hours after sunset or before sunrise — the satellites must be sunlit while your sky is dark.
- Direction: they travel roughly south-west to north-east on most passes; each pass lasts a few minutes.
- Conditions: clear sky, away from bright city lights. No telescope needed.
- Exact times for your location: the Cosmik sky view computes passes for wherever you are — sharper than any generic table.
Track every Starlink satellite live
Cosmik plots the full constellation — thousands of satellites — in real time 3D, free and without login. Read the complete Starlink tracking guide, check ISS pass times for your city, or follow the latest launch news.