By Staff Reporter
TZANEEN-On 29 August, Tzaneen residents noticed a string of lights on the sky yesterday, some took to social media to ask what that strange string of lights was in the sky, some believing it could be UAP — unidentified aerial phenomena, as they’re now called.
But it wasn’t aliens. With further investigation, it was concluded that it is a Starlink-55 satellite train .
Tom Wagner, Waterloo, Iowa USA the admin of the Starlink Satellite Observing Group on Facebook wrote the following:
“The odds of seeing a new Starlink train passing over any one location is all a matter of timing. It depends upon the launch time, the local sunrise and sunset times, and the slant of the orbit (its ‘inclination’) with respect to the equator”
“Elon Musk (Space-X) has periodically launched pods of satellites – often 50 or more – into a “low altitude orbit”. They gradually increase their altitude and spread-out using ion thrust engines onboard each satellite.
“The trains go around the earth many times a day and pass over many diagonal zones, but for us to see them we MUST be in the earth’s shadow at the same time they must be in sunlight.
“The odds of this happening for any one person are relatively low, especially when the train is close together.
“However, because of the inclination of the shell 4 orbit – I assume – it does seem to be more likely in Europe, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Canada, and sometimes the east coast of South America.
The places that are the best are in the latitudes near their inclination, which is around 53 degrees north and south.
“The problem is, far fewer people are in those zones and most of 53 degrees south is over the ocean.
“For several reasons the satellites usually get FAR dimmer after a few days.
“In trying to appease the astronomers around the world that REALLY do not like streaks across their photographs (note: most of the time when the astronomers are taking pictures the satellites are in the shadow of the earth anyway) “Musk has taken measures to reduce the illumination on the satellites with lightweight flip-up sun shades that stop sunlight from getting to the largest reflective surfaces.
“The shell-4 launches are usually directed toward the northeast and when they are they ALWAYS pass over Europe soon after launch.
“They are in fact “deployed” (launched out of the capsule) while they are still over the Atlantic Ocean.
“Because of that, on their first pass over Europe, they will not be separated in the train that we all hope to see.
“NOTE! The otherwise straight orbit appears curved because of the flattening of the spherical earth and displaying it on a 2D screen.
“Often when it passes over a certain area it will pass again a few minutes more than 24 hours later, but farther south in the sky.
“At least that is what they have been doing lately. If you see a pass in the northern sky you can bet they will pass again a day later but more south”.
Source and photos: Starlink Satellite Observing Group
