Observation by Martin Lewis: Starlink6 20mins after launch 22nd April...

Uploaded by

Martin Lewis

Observer

Martin Lewis

Observed

2020 Apr 22 - 18:52

Uploaded

2020 Apr 22 - 22:55

Objects

Spacecraft

Equipment

222mm Dobsonian
ASI174MM
610nm filter

Location

StAlbans UK

Target name

SpaceX Starlink 7

Title

Starlink6 20mins after launch 22nd April 2020

About this image

As skies darkened this evening I imaged two strings of 30 Starlink satellites just after release from the Falcon rocket 22mins after launch. Here's the collection of satellites and assorted parts passing over StAlbans UK. You can count all 60 there

I'm in shock-never seen anything like it. First thought I'd mistakenly imaged an airliner with rows of lights down the side of the fuselage

Martin

Files associated with this observation

SpaceX Starlink7 2020-04-22_19-52UT_R_MLewis.png (455.0 kB)

Like this image

Steve Knight, Jeremy Shears, Neil Morrison, Chris Dole, Nick James, Andrew Dumbleton

Comments

Nick James, 2020 Apr 23 - 06:06 UTC

That is an amazing image. I watched the launch and was waiting in Chelmsford for it to come over but I had no idea what to expect. Suddenly there it was, as bright as the ISS on a good pass but moving a lot faster. I'm very impressed that you managed to track it so well given how fast it was moving. I picked up the faint outlying components on my much lower res video. Apparently they are the launch retention rods that held the stack on top of the second stage.

Neil Morrison, 2020 Apr 23 - 10:21 UTC

Glad I was not the only one to caught out and miss identified the Rocket as a low flying Aircraft. Yes it was certainly far brighter than expected and first spotted almost over head. So now in the last few days I have seen the chain of Satellites and now the subsequent Launch Vehicle with the next batch of Space Vermin.

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