If you live in Cranbrook or the surrounding areas, you might have wondered to yourself recently about a linear constellation that moves through the night sky.
Many residents in the region have taken to the internet lately to ask others what the strange lights are.
“Does anyone know what the stars moving in a line are?” asked one person.
“Has anyone else seen the string of lights go over Cranbrook?” asked another.
The line of fast-moving, seemingly star-like objects are not that of an alien invasion. In fact, it is a string of satellites for Starlink - high-speed, low latency broadband internet by SpaceX.
SpaceX, by Elon Musk, has launched hundreds of satellites into a low-Earth orbit over the course of the past year. They began a beta program last fall and, according to the Starlink website, the service is ideally suited for areas of the globe where connectivity has typically been a challenge.
READ: Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite lights Lumby’s skies
“Unbounded by traditional ground infrastructure, Starlink can deliver high-speed broadband internet to locations where access has been unreliable or completely unavailable,” reads the website.
Basically, those who purchase Starlink pay for a router and satellite, which connects to and provides internet service though the string of satellites in the orbit.
According to the website Find Starlink, the satellites are most visible in Cranbrook between 10:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.
corey.bullock@cranbrooktownsman.com
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