Several rows of lights aligned in the sky surprised residents in different parts of Cuba on Thursday night, generating curiosity and numerous reactions on social media.
Images shared by internet users show a formation of bright spots moving in a straight line, visible to the naked eye from provinces in the west, center, and east of the country.
In places such as Matanzas, Cárdenas, Perico, Varadero, and Santa Clara, numerous users reported the phenomenon at around 9:20 p.m.
Meteorologist Henry Delgado Manzor and the specialized profile J J Pulido Salud VC agreed that the sighting corresponds to the Starlink satellite train, recently launched from the Cape Canaveral Space Complex in Florida, United States, by the aerospace company SpaceX.
These satellites are part of the Starlink project, a constellation designed to provide high-speed satellite internet worldwide. Each unit is equipped with solar panels and antennas that transmit signals to Earth.
According to experts, the visibility of these satellites depends on factors such as the time of day, the observer's location, and atmospheric conditions. They are most visible just after sunset or before sunrise, when the sun is still shining on their solar panels, allowing them to reflect light back to the Earth's surface.
In the days following the launch, satellites usually travel in groups and move in a straight line at a constant speed, making them easier to identify from the ground. Over time, they begin to spread apart, and the line becomes no longer visible.
The phenomenon sparked a wave of posts and comments. A user identified as Yoyo's Photograph wrote: “Two lines of light points just passed by. They were moving south. Then they disappeared,” accompanied by an image of the night sky.
Similar phenomena have occurred in the past. At the end of May last year, residents of Matanzas also observed a train of Starlink satellites shortly after their launch, an event that was also documented by Henry Delgado Manzor.
Days before, the launch of a Falcon 9 rocket with 23 Starlink satellites was visible from eastern Cuba and several cities in Florida, including Holguín and Gibara, according to reports from media outlets and users on social media.
Since its launch in 2019, SpaceX has put more than 6,000 Starlink satellites into orbit and has requested permission to deploy up to 30,000 more. Unlike other systems that operate at around 35,000 km in altitude, Starlink orbits at approximately 550 km, which enhances the latency and speed of the service.
What was experienced this Thursday represents another example of the visual reach of space technology, which continues to amaze in the Cuban skies.
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