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Because they reflect sunlight at Earth as they fly over head. That is why when you see one, it starts barely able to be seen, gets brighter and then dims until you cannot see it. It is not long reflecting light towards you any more.

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15y ago
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14y ago

According to http://en.allexperts.com/q/Astronomy-1360/Observing-Satellite-Naked-eyes.htm, satellites shine because they reflect sunlight (presumably because they are made of shiny, reflective metal). They orbit high above the earth, so for 2-3 hours after sunset and before sunrise, the sun doesn't shine on the part of Earth you are standing on, but it still hits the satellite. This is when you are most likely to see a satellite.

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11y ago

Because you have eyes.

I get the feeling there's a deeper question here, but I can't quite tell what it is.


Stars shine because they're very hot, and very hot things give off light.


The Moon isn't hot enough to give off light, but it's (relatively speaking) near the Sun, which is. So moonlight is really just reflected sunlight.

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8y ago

Artificial satellites are seen by reflected light and often are not in a position to reflect that light to your position on the earth. They are relatively small and are often below your visible horizon.

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11y ago

light emitted from the sun rays is reflected from satellites.

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11y ago

Mainly for communications and scientific exploration of various kinds.

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Q: Why do satellites light up at night?
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Related questions

When was Light Up the Night created?

Light Up the Night was created in 1980.


How are satellites give lights to the planet during the night time?

Satellites don't give light, they reflect it. At night they are high up enough to reflect the Sun's light, particularly in the hours close to sunrise and sunset or in places in the world where the sun is not too far below the horizon. As they fly through the sky they start to reflect sunlight, first getting brighter and then fading again before disappearing. It is easy to know something is a satellite as it looks like a slow moving star that brightens up and then fades again over the course of a few minutes. On a clear night, if you look at the sky long enough you may spot several satellites.


When was Light Up Night created?

Light Up Night was created on 1960-11-21.


How do Satellites give light to the planet?

If by Satellite, you are referring to the Moon. On a clear night the Moon reflects the Suns light back onto Earth. The best effect is during a Full Moon on a crystal clear night. Its not as good as daylight but you can see very well. If you mean man made Satellites, then they do not give light to planets they help us observe them or are used for telecommunications etc.


When was Light Up the Night - song - created?

Light Up the Night - song - was created on 2010-11-24.


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usually a "night security light" just means that the light is on a circuit that does not get switched off at night.


Four of Jupiters satellites can be seen from Earth using a telescope What makes these satellites visible?

light emitted by the satellites


What is the metaphor in this sentence sparkling jewels light up the night sky?

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Except for light reflection does a satellite eminate any other visible light during night time?

I am not aware of any beacon lights on any satellites. I'm sure the International Space Station has some, for times when the Shuttle is coming in, but what purpose would they serve otherwise? Aircraft have anti-collision lights - to avoid airplanes crashing into each other at night. But satellites generally travel too fast for any visual cues to be useful - and satellites have very limited maneuverability anyway.


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