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Like any good astrophotographer, I was out in the pre-twilight hours photographing Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS). Having Starlink satellites move across the image is expected these days -- and astro software can do a good job at removing the tracks.
I was not expecting this! I looked to the east and saw a fast-moving streak of bright lights moving roughly southwest to northeast and low on the eastern horizon. My first thought was a reentry of a rocket booster or a satellite. A quick glance though my binoculars indicated they were evenly spaced. Starlink Group 17-27 had launched from California about 6 1/2 hours earlier so this was probably that group of satellites.
They were bright! That's why my first thought was a reentry. I would estimate that they were at least as bright as Venus (although Venus is in the evening sky and was not available for comparison).
This is a composite of two images. Each image is 120 seconds and there is a 10-second gap between images. That gap accounts for the discontinuity in the streak.
I have seen Starlink trains before but never this soon after a launch. Bright, indeed!
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