Starlink: The Problem and The Sightings

[Christopher K.]

Between 8:20pm and 9:00pm CDT Sunday night there will be nine Starlink passes with predicted magnitudes brighter than 3.0...

8:20pm, Starlink 1050 = SW to NE, peaking at 46˚SE. mag 2.9 (between Spica and Virgo, then over Arcturus)
8:25pm, Starlink 1055 = SW to NE, peaking at 52˚SE. mag 2.7 (between Spica and Virgo, then over Arcturus)
8:30pm, Starlink 1022 = SW to NE, peaking at 60˚SE. mag 2.6 (just nicking backside of Leo, then between Arcturus and Big Dipper)
8:35pm, Starlink 1042 = SW to NE, peaking at 68˚SE. mag 2.5 (through Leo, then between Arcturus and Big Dipper)
8:40pm, Starlink 1056 = SW to NE, peaking at 77˚SE. mag 2.5 (through Leo, then just east the Big Dipper)
8:45pm, Starlink 1054 = SW to NE, peaking at 86˚SE. mag 2.5 (through head of Leo and handle of Big Dipper)
8:49pm, Starlink 1062 = SW to NE, peaking at 84˚NW. mag 2.6 (between Leo and Gemini, then through Big Dipper)
8:55pm, Starlink 1053 = SW to NE, peaking at 74˚NW. mag 2.8 (near Sirius, between Leo and Gemini, then through Big Dipper)
8:58pm, Starlink 52 = NW to SE, peaking at 66˚NE. mag 1.9 (just inside bowl of Big Dipper, then fading into Earth's shadow between Leo and Arcturus)

Remember, looking over seventy degrees up toward the sky is difficult over an extended time unless you are lying on the ground or in a lawn chair. Also, NOAA has added "patchy fog" to Sunday's forecast, which may hinder viewing.

[Christopher K.]

Between 8:20pm and 8:45pm CDT tonight there will be fifteen Starlink passes with predicted magnitudes brighter than 3.0...

8:22pm, Starlink 1322 = NW to SE, peaking at 57˚SW. mag 2.8 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:23pm, Starlink 1334 = NW to SE, peaking at 55˚SW. mag 2.8 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:23pm, Starlink 1320 = NW to SE, peaking at 55˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1349 = NW to SE, peaking at 54˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1324 = NW to SE, peaking at 55˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1294 = NW to SE, peaking at 55˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1336 = NW to SE, peaking at 53˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1331 = NW to SE, peaking at 53˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1344 = NW to SE, peaking at 53˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1261 = NW to SE, peaking at 54˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1325 = NW to SE, peaking at 54˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1333 = NW to SE, peaking at 54˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:24pm, Starlink 1346 = NW to SE, peaking at 52˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:25pm, Starlink 1367 = NW to SE, peaking at 50˚SW. mag 2.9 (over Venus and through Gemini)
8:42pm, Starlink 1175 = SW to NE, peaking at 56˚SE. mag 2.4 (between Leo and Spica, then over Arcturus)

The list for Saturday night will be posted tomorrow at about lunchtime.

[Christopher K.]

Between 8:20pm and 8:35pm CDT tonight the following ten Starlinks are predicted to pass with magnitudes of 2.9 down to 2.8...
Starlink 1147, Starlink 1146, Starlink 1152, Starlink 1195, Starlink 1137, Starlink 1142, Starlink 1127, Starlink 1184, Starlink 1193, Starlink 1194
All of them will come from the southwest. All will peak in angular height from the horizon in the southeast; these peaks will begin at fifty-three degrees then rise to sixty-one degrees as this string of satellites progresses. Each will then head to the northeast. [All of the satellites were launched on the same mission 29 January 2020.]

[Christopher K.]

There are no Starlinks passing in the Baton Rouge sky tonight brighter than magnitude 3.0. There are predictions for twenty-four Starlinks brighter than magnitude 4.0 passing from 8:45pm to 9:30pm CDT; please use Heavens Above to generate your list.

SpaceX management is working on reorienting the satellites so that they are (most of the time) "edge-on" from an Earthbound perspective. The company is also experimenting with a visor. However, it will take a few months to see results, and there are other companies who might not be concerned about maintaining goodwill with the astronomy and skygazing communities.

More information:
https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-n ... -visorsat/

[Christopher K.]

There are no Starlinks passing in the Baton Rouge sky tonight brighter than magnitude 3.0. There are predictions for about twenty-five Starlinks brighter than magnitude 4.0 passing from 8:10pm to 10:05pm CDT; please use Heavens Above to generate your list.

[Christopher K.]

This morning there was another launch of Starlinks.

There are no Starlinks passing in the Baton Rouge sky tonight brighter than magnitude 3.0. There are predictions for fourteen Starlinks brighter than magnitude 4.0 passing from 8:15pm to 9:35pm CDT; please use Heavens Above to generate your list.

[Christopher K.]

There are no Starlinks passing in the Baton Rouge sky tonight brighter than magnitude 3.0. There are predictions for eighteen Starlinks brighter than magnitude 4.0 passing from 9:10pm to 10:15pm CDT; please use Heavens Above to generate your list.

[Christopher K.]

The Starlink 7 group left the Earth about 8:30pm CDT last night.

Between 8:32pm and 8:33pm CDT tonight the about sixty (!!) of these Starlinks are predicted to pass with magnitudes of 2.7 down to 2.6.
All of them will come from the southwest. All will peak in angular height from the horizon in the southeast; these peaks will all be around twenty-seven degrees. Each will then head to the northeast. (A binocular may help see these passes, especially since the waxing gibbous Moon will be rising.)

[Christopher K.]

Fifty-eight Starlinks are predicted to have visible passes--all within thirty-three seconds of one another. All will rise out of the southwest and all will peak in altitude of fifty-nine to sixty-one angular degrees in the northwest. Each will pass very close to the head of Leo (near the G-class mag 2.9 star Ras Elased Australis), then barely cut into the bowl of the Big Dipper (near K-class mag 1.8 Dubhe). So if you can see Ras Elased Australis, you should see the passes.

The magnitude of the fifty-eight Starlinks should be around 2.3; start watching at 8:35pm. Go to Chris Peat's Heavens Above website for more accurate information for your specific location. Binoculars will probably be needed.

[Christopher K.]

There are no Starlinks passing in the Baton Rouge sky tonight brighter than magnitude 3.0. There are predictions for about thirteen Starlinks brighter than magnitude 3.5 passing from 9:35pm to 10:05pm CDT; please use Heavens Above to generate your list.