What are those bright lights traveling across the night sky? A plane? A spaceship? Aliens! No, they are satellites. Satellites orbit the earth during the day and night every day.
There are over 2,000 satellites orbiting the Earth right now (UCS, 2020). That’s a lot of traffic around our planet. We have our best views of these satellites just before sunrise and just after sunset. The angle of the Earth at these times allows sunlight to hit the satellites reflective panels. This creates the appearance of a bright light moving across the sky.
The former Soviet Union (Russia) launched the first satellite into space on October 4, 1957 igniting the space-race. Recently, SpaceX (United States), launched the Falcon 9 rocket containing 60 Starlink satellites. These Starlink Satellites are first of the 1,584 satellites to improve internet connection. (Space.com, 2020)
So, make a date to “See a Satellite Tonight”. It’s fun for all ages!
Webpage Sources: Union of Concerned Scientists & Space.com
Astronaut Scott Kelly nursed dying space zinnias back to health on the International Space Station. He photographed a bouquet of the flowers in the space station's cupola against the backdrop of Earth and shared the photo to his Instagram for Valentine's Day 2016.
Credits: NASA/Scott Kelly
Astronaut Serena Auñón-Chancellor harvests red Russian kale and dragoon lettuce from Veggie on Nov. 28, 2018, just in time for Thanksgiving. The crew got to enjoy a mid-afternoon snack with balsamic vinegar, and Auñón-Chancellor reported the lettuce was "delicious!"
Credits: ESA/Alexander Gerst
