JMM Sky Lights Identified as Starlink Satellites

José María Morelos — The recent sighting of a row of lights in the sky of the JMM community did not correspond to a natural or extraordinary phenomenon, but rather to the passage of artificial satellites placed in orbit for telecommunications purposes.

This was explained by Benjamín Tenrreiro Poot, a member of the Astroturismo Tepeu Yetel Naab group, who indicated that the observed lights are part of so-called “satellite trains,” technological devices launched simultaneously to expand global internet coverage.

He detailed that this type of sighting has become more common in recent years due to the increase in satellite launches, particularly those of the Starlink system, driven by businessman Elon Musk’s company, whose project aims to surround the planet with these devices.

He indicated that the lack of information causes many people to confuse these artificial objects with unknown phenomena, since, although there is constant access to information through mobile phones, there is not always interest in consulting or delving into scientific and astronomical topics.

The member of Astroturismo Tepeu Yetel Naab emphasized the importance of promoting dissemination and interest in sky observation, so that the population can identify this type of event and avoid misinterpretations.

Finally, he specified that, so far, the presence of these satellites has not significantly affected the astronomical observation activities they carry out, although he warned that an excessive increase could become a form of visual pollution in the future.