Starlink train over UK/EU 21:13 7/4/26?

[jarlrmai]

Lots of reports here:


Source: https://old.reddit.com/r/UFOs/comments/1sgey0p/what_was_spotted_in_the_skies_over_europe/

Time: 21:40 7/4/26
South West UK

Time: 9:14pm BST 7th April 2026
Location: near Barnstaple, UK

Time: Tuesday 7th April 2026 - 21:13
Location: Nottingham, UK

Time: 07.04.26 @ 9:20
Location: Yorkshire, England

So on 7/4/26 at between 21:13 and maybe 21:40 a Starlink train was apparently visible across the UK

But which one?

Wikipedia shows the likely candidate

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Starlink_and_Starshield_launches

377	Group 17-35	v2 mini	2026-073	7 April 2026, 02:51	Vandenberg, SLC-4E	535 km (332 mi)	97.61°	25		25

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But getting this TLE and putting it into Sitrec does not seem to match the sightings.

 

[ThomasH]

I just made this video about it!

Source: https://youtu.be/-k-QZUSjJbI


It doesn't match any known satellites!
...but maybe they are so new that they are not in the system yet?

 

[ThomasH]

I just made this video about it!

Source: https://youtu.be/-k-QZUSjJbI


It doesn't match any known satellites!
...but maybe they are so new that they are not in the system yet?

They were not in Sitrec yet, that's why I didn't find it.
So all my home made calculations were wrong
...Maybe I can learn from it and "reverse engineer" it later

 

[Kyle Ferriter]

I don't know the answer to this, are TLEs reliable for just-launched satellites? For some period they are still attached to the launch vehicle which may still be providing significant acceleration, and even after that there's a period where the orbital paths have not stabilized.

 

[Kyle Ferriter]

Using this file (attached) https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/sup-gp.php?INTDES=2026-073&FORMAT=TLE

I see the train pass near Norway, Iceland and down off the coast of western europe around 20:40-20:50 UTC

EDIT: the 19:20 UTC pass is more over the mainland of europe.

EDIT2: and the 17:50 UTC pass more so:

Link: https://www.metabunk.org/sitrec/?custom=17113/Starlink 2026-073 2026-07-07T1750Z/20260409_190843.js

 

[ThomasH]

Using this file (attached) https://celestrak.org/NORAD/elements/supplemental/sup-gp.php?INTDES=2026-073&FORMAT=TLE

I see the train pass near Norway, Iceland and down off the coast of western europe around 20:40-20:50 UTC
View attachment 89530

EDIT: the 19:20 UTC pass is more over the mainland of europe.
View attachment 89532

EDIT2: and the 17:50 UTC pass more so:
View attachment 89533

Link: https://www.metabunk.org/sitrec/?custom=17113/Starlink 2026-073 2026-07-07T1750Z/20260409_190843.js

This must be the launch from april 2, on the other one they were much closer

 

[Kyle Ferriter]

This must be the launch from april 2, on the other one they were much closer

The file attached to my post is for the satellites in the Apr 7 launch. Launch ID 2026-073.

One of the satellites in it is STARLINK-37135: https://satellitemap.space/sat/68602