What Were the Strange Lights Over East Texas Thursday Night?

Tyler, Texas--East Texans are talking about strange lights they saw in the sky on Thursday night.

East Texas residents were fascinated by mysterious lights streaking through our night sky on Thursday night. They shared questions and amazement on social media that night and the day after, pondering what exactly had crossed the sky like some omen from beyond.

So, what exactly were we seeing?

It was SpaceX Starlink Satellites Lighting Up East Texas

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According to a KETK story, the lights were identified as Elon Musk's SpaceX Starlink satellites. Yep, these are involved in his ongoing project to give the entire world global internet coverage. Ambitious goal, no?

The satellites are launched in batches that form a 'train' of lights, which we can see once deployed into space. So, what we were seeing on Thursday night was quite likely the satellites, as they were in low Earth orbit and reflecting sunlight as their positions were adjusted.

What exactly makes these Starlink Satellites So Visible in Texas skies?

Most of us know this isn't the first time Musk's satellites have created buzz. However, we may not have known how reflective the satellites were when they launched and orbited nearer to Earth. It's quite something to behold.

Did you know that SpaceX has launched more than 5,000 of these highly reflective satellites since the mission began? They've been amazing people, not just in Texas but all around the world.

If you're interested in seeing more of these types of things, you may want to check out apps that predict satellite visibility, like Heavens-Above.

Many people seem to enjoy seeing these satellites in the night sky. However, some are concerned about light pollution and its long-term effects, if any. Whatever the case, it's a breathtaking sight in our East Texas sky.