Elon Musk's Starlink satellites light up night sky

Photographer Tom Packham captured the trail over Freshwater Bay on the Isle of Wight and described it as "spectacular"

At a glance

  • A chain of bright lights have been seen in the night sky

  • The group of dots moving through the sky are SpaceX's Starlink satellites

  • The satellites appear as small, fast-moving bright lights

  • They can be spotted in the sky without binoculars or a telescope

Lydia Wilson
BBC News

A trail of bright lights have been spotted in the night skies in the south of England.

The lights are not Father Christmas making a trial flight in his sleigh or a new constellation - but Starlink satellites launched by Elon Musk's SpaceX.

The chain of lights can bee seen for the rest of the week.

Apps and websites can be used to check when and where to spot the display.

Starlink satellites seen in the sky in Pennington, HampshireTracey Toms

The light trail was spotted by Tracey Toms in Pennington, Hampshire, who said her grandson was "sure it's Santa!"

At sunrise and sunset, the satellites are visible to the naked eye because the sun glints off their wings.

The satellites appear as small, fast-moving bright lights and can be spotted in the sky without binoculars or a telescope.

Here are some more pictures of the spectacle captured in the skies above the region.

Starlink satellites seen in the sky across Godshill, Isle of WightCharlie Norman

Charlie Norman snapped a photo of the satellite trail in Godshill, Isle of Wight

Starlink satellites trail in the south of EnglandRobin Truswell

Robin Truswell spotted the satellites on Sunday evening from Calbourne Road in Newport on the Isle of Wight

Starlink satellites over Upton, dorsetLaura Evans

Laura Evans in Upton, Poole, also photographed the Starlink trail

All pictures subject to copyright.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk.

Related topics

More on this story