Starlink satellites look like a "train" or string of bright lights moving across the night sky. Shortly after launch, they appear in a straight line, closely spaced, resembling a string of pearls or a train of lights that can be seen with the naked eye. This formation is most visible a day or two after deployment before the satellites spread out and climb to their final orbit around 342 miles (550 km) above Earth, at which point they become harder to spot individually
. In the sky, these satellites appear as small, fast-moving bright dots that reflect sunlight, especially around sunrise and sunset, making them visible without binoculars or telescopes. The satellites' brightness and reflective surfaces cause them to stand out against the dark sky, often leading to UFO- like sightings by observers unfamiliar with them
. Physically, each Starlink satellite has a flat-panel design with high- throughput antennas and solar arrays. The newer versions weigh about 800 kilograms (1,760 lbs) at launch and feature anti-reflective surfaces to reduce brightness. Their appearance includes a bright white body with visible engine nozzles and reflective covers, sometimes causing slight flares when sunlight hits them
. In summary, Starlink satellites look like a bright, moving line of lights shortly after launch, then disperse into individual satellites that appear as small, bright dots traveling steadily across the night sky
