{
  "id": 19698517,
  "title": "SpaceX's Starship megarocket will launch to orbit on Nov. 13. Will you be able to spot it in the night sky?",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/12/spacexs-starship-megarocket-will-launch-to-orbit-on-nov-13-will-you",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-11-12T20:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Space.com",
    "slug": "space-com",
    "url": "https://www.space.com/stargazing/spacexs-starship-megarocket-will-launch-to-orbit-on-nov-13-will-you-be-able-to-spot-it-in-the-night-sky"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "SpaceX's massive Starship megarocket is scheduled to make its 15th flight test on Friday, November 13. The 75-minute launch window opens at 5:45 p.m. EST, just an hour before sunset. This launch could be particularly spectacular for viewers in Texas and the Gulf of Mexico regions, as the Starship, or \"Ship,\" will be visible against the darkening sky.\n\nProfessor James Osborn from Durham University explains that the Starship is a substantial 171 feet tall, making it visible to the naked eye, especially in twilight hours. It should appear significantly brighter than the Starlink satellites it carries, due to its size. However, the exact visibility depends on various factors, such as reflectivity, orbital inclination, and position relative to the Earth and the sun.\n\nThe Starship and its Starlink satellites will likely be seen in the sky for about 90 minutes after sunset, before sunrise the next day. They will appear as a string of bright, evenly spaced lights, with the Starship potentially standing out more due to its size. The Starlink satellites, being smaller, will be less bright, possibly ranging from magnitude 2nd to 4th.\n\nSkywatchers should keep in mind that the Starship will orbit Earth about 14 times over the following 22 hours, deploying 26 Starlink V3 satellites. The Starship and the Starlink satellites will be best seen between latitudes 30.5° N and S, and lower in the sky up to latitudes of 40° N and S. This means they should be visible throughout much of the contiguous United States.",
  "summary": "\"It should be very bright, considerably brighter than the Starlink satellites due to its size.\"",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}