The first time you see a Starlink train, you'll think something has gone very wrong with the sky. A line of bright dots, one after another, moving together like a bead necklace. It's not aliens. It's broadband.

Right after launch

The trains are only visible in the days right after a launch, before the satellites climb and spread out. After that they're too faint to see with the naked eye.

How to catch one

Set an alert in orbit for "new Starlink train." We'll tell you when a freshly launched batch is passing over — and you'll get the most surreal ninety seconds of your week.