What a Night!

It was a clear night, albeit moonless. The air was smooth, even near the equator, as we wound our way southward from Vancouver to Sydney. I have spent many hours aloft by night but this night was something different.

Whether it was atmospheric, I’m unsure. For what every reason I witnessed more shooting stars and disintegrating space junk shooting across the sky than on any other sector I have flown. It was a spasmodic, spectacular light show of flashes and streaks of differing colours and varying intensities.

Perhaps the highlight came as we approached Noumea just before dawn. It is always the time to spot satellites as the sun’s first rays catch these man-made heavenly bodies above the still darkened earth. One in particular was brighter than the others and I suspect that it was the International Space Station (ISS).

And then one…two…three…….

It was a string of satellites. Like a celestial conga line, the specks of light continued, one after the other. I should have started counting but so many had already passed before the significance registered with me. I have seen portions of the Starlink network off the west coast of the United States and well to the south of the planet as I returned home from Johannesburg – but this was different. My best guess was that around 60 satellites passed high above me from right to left.

This job never seems to disappoint as we sit perched high into the stratosphere. Over the years, I have witnessed spectacular rocket launches and majestic sunrises and sunsets and now another sight has been burnt into my memory. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again – “What a night!”