Coloradans Spot UFOs, Turns Out It’s Not Aliens

It has been both an exciting and disappointing revelation.

Once again, some Colorado skywatchers have been thrilled to observe a peculiar sight in the nighttime sky, only to be disappointed by what it turned out to be. The reports of UFOs have been coming in for the past year, the most recent being late last week.

According to 9 News, the train of lights people have been seeing in the sky is actually Starlink satellites that were launched early last week by Space X. More than 300 satellites have been launched since March of last year and more are expected in the coming weeks.

The Purpose of the Satellites

The satellites are apparently a large business venture with the purpose of bringing low-cost internet to rural areas that don't have access to high-speed broadband. The satellites are in low orbit about 340 miles above the ground, each weighing about 570 pounds. Reports indicated the company has been approved for a whopping 12,000 satellites, which means we are likely to being seeing more of these in the coming weeks and months.

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How To See the Satellite Train

The best time to see the satellites is at dusk or dawn. Space X CEO Elon Musk has said they are working to reduce the brightness and reflectivity of the satellites. He also said they will be less noticeable when they reach their full altitude, and they will become more spaced out over time.

The technology is certainly exciting, but it also is probably a little disappointing to those who thought they were seeing actual UFOs.  We definitely are not being visited by aliens. As with most UFO sightings, there is a perfectly logical explanation for them and that is certainly the case here. Still, it would still be pretty cool to see if you get a chance. There is actually a website that tracks the satellites and can tell you the best time to spot the space birds where you live.