Tonight's Visible Starlink Train from SpaceX Across Italy

Tonight, August 6, 2026, at 21:35, a New Bright Passage of SpaceX's Starlink Satellites Will Be Visible Across Italy

Look up to the night sky, and you might spot a series of bright lights moving in formation, reminiscent of a train. These are not extraterrestrial beings but rather Starlink satellites. This constellation of satellites aims to provide global Internet coverage, particularly beneficial for rural and isolated areas where reliable connectivity is lacking. Owned by SpaceX, the initiative seeks to establish a global broadband network using low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver high-speed Internet services. Founded by Elon Musk in 2002, SpaceX, or Space Exploration Technologies Corp., is a private aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company.

The passage tonight, occurring at 21:35, will be visible from south to north. To ensure you catch this event, utilize your smartphone's compass for orientation. The display will last approximately three minutes, so it’s advisable to get into position a bit earlier. If you do not see the map on Heavens-Above, try again later. Alternatively, you can visit this website.

Finding the Maps

Determining when and where these satellites will be visible from your location is straightforward. The quickest method is to visit the Heavens-Above website and select your city from the top right corner. From there, choose ‘Starlink Passes’ from the menu, and you’ll have access to downloadable maps detailing times and dates. This site also provides information about passes of other satellites and the International Space Station (ISS). Happy ‘hunting’! Here’s a video of a previous pass:

The Impact of Starlink on the Night Sky

Many people ask, “What are those lights moving across the sky?” We aim to answer this question by offering insights into the visibility of Starlink satellites from Italy. While these satellites serve a practical purpose and their appearance can be awe-inspiring, there is a downside. When you observe these ‘beautiful lights’ in the sky, remember that they contribute to light pollution. They are akin to the iridescent reflections of diesel in a puddle: visually striking, but indicative of chemical pollution.

Artificial Satellites

It is essential to recognize that artificial satellites represent a significant form of light pollution in the night sky. Their brightness, even when not visible to the naked eye, poses a severe threat to both professional and amateur scientific research, contaminating and often rendering data collected by telescopes unusable—even in the most remote locations free from conventional light pollution, such as observatories in Chile, Hawaii, and the Canary Islands. The increasing number of satellites in low Earth orbit raises the risk of catastrophic collisions, which could trigger a chain reaction that renders these valuable orbits unusable (the Kessler syndrome). The proliferation of satellites is transforming the once pristine night sky into a memory of the past, even in the most isolated parts of the Earth that are free from artificial light pollution.

For more information, visit:

• https://www.iau.org/static/science/scientific_bodies/working_groups/286/dark-quiet-skies-2-working-groups-reports.pdf