Starlink 2382 creates bright fireball over Europe

An unexpected atmospheric re-entry of the Starlink 2382 satellite at 19:29 UTC on August 27, 2024, created a stunning fireball over France, Switzerland, and northern Italy.

The event was seen by thousands of people from France and Belgium to Switzerland, Germany, and Italy.

Videos of the fireball have gone viral across social media:

Starlink 2382 was a part of SpaceX’s Starlink constellation, which aims to provide global broadband internet coverage from low Earth orbit (LEO).

It was launched on March 11, 2021, from Cape Canaveral, United States. The satellite was one of many in the large network designed to deliver high-speed internet, especially to remote and underserved areas.

Rishav Kothari

Rishav Kothari is Editor-in-Chief of The Watchers, where he runs the newsroom and covers earthquakes, volcanoes, severe weather and space weather.

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