Within Uruguay UFOs
Why Satellites Keep Triggering UFO Reports in Uruguay
Several recent waves of strange lights were traced to Starlink and other satellites, revealing why moving formations are easy to misidentify.
On this page
- The nationwide light reports of 2020, 2023 and 2026
- Why satellite trains look unusual from the ground
- How investigators distinguish satellites from aircraft
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Introduction
Modern satellite constellations have changed the pattern of UFO reporting in Uruguay. While the country has a long history of unusual aerial sightings, many of the largest nationwide waves since 2020 have ultimately been traced to Starlink and other Earth-orbiting satellites rather than unexplained aircraft or extraordinary phenomena. These events illustrate an important shift in the UFO landscape: instead of isolated reports from individual witnesses, investigators increasingly receive dozens of near-identical sightings from multiple departments within hours of one another. Official investigations by the Uruguayan Air Force’s Commission for the Reception and Investigation of Reports of Unidentified Flying Objects (CRIDOVNI) have repeatedly shown that these modern “waves” can be explained by predictable satellite passes, even though the observations initially appear highly unusual.[Montevideo Portal]montevideo.com.uyMontevideo PortalFuerza Aérea identificó qué eran las luces avistadas en el cielo de Paysandú en febreroMay 2, 2023…
Understanding why satellite constellations produce such convincing sightings helps explain both the rise in contemporary UFO reports and why many cases are resolved much more quickly than in previous decades.
The nationwide light reports of 2020, 2023 and 2026
The expansion of large satellite constellations coincided with a noticeable increase in reports of moving formations crossing Uruguay’s night sky. Unlike traditional UFO incidents involving a single witness or location, these episodes often generated reports from several departments simultaneously because thousands of people could see the same orbital pass.
The 2020 period: a new source of mass sightings
As SpaceX accelerated Starlink launches during 2019 and 2020, skywatchers around the world—including observers in Uruguay—began encountering long strings of evenly spaced lights moving silently across the sky shortly after launches.
Although many individual reports never became major investigations, astronomers and UFO researchers rapidly recognised that recently launched Starlink “trains” had become one of the most common causes of mass UFO reports worldwide. Uruguay’s clear winter skies and relatively low levels of light pollution outside Montevideo made these formations especially noticeable. Studies of aviation and UAP reports have likewise identified newly launched Starlink trains as a recurring source of misidentification because of their unfamiliar appearance and changing illumination.[arXiv]arxiv.orgEnhancing Space Situational Awareness to Mitigate Risk: A Single-Case Study in the Misidentification of a Recently-Launched Starlink…
February 2023: the Paysandú investigation
One of Uruguay’s best-documented satellite cases began after numerous witnesses reported flashing lights near the Termas de Almirón resort and Paysandú Airport on 11 February 2023. Similar reports followed from other parts of the country over several nights.
CRIDOVNI interviewed witnesses, analysed photographs and videos, and compared the reports with available aerospace data. The commission concluded that the observed objects were Starlink satellites launched during February. The official statement noted that reports received between 10 and 13 February from different localities also corresponded to Starlink passes rather than unidentified craft.[Montevideo Portal]montevideo.com.uyMontevideo PortalFuerza Aérea identificó qué eran las luces avistadas en el cielo de Paysandú en febreroMay 2, 2023…
The investigation became an important example of how modern UFO inquiries increasingly rely on orbital tracking data alongside witness testimony.
The 2026 nationwide reporting wave
In early 2026, CRIDOVNI announced that it had received 25 reports of moving lights from across Uruguay within roughly one month. Witnesses came from Montevideo, Canelones, Maldonado, Rocha, San José, Rivera, Colonia, Lavalleja and Cerro Largo, describing white lights travelling in formation toward the southern sky.
After reviewing videos, photographs and testimony and comparing them with aerospace records, the commission concluded that the sightings corresponded primarily to Starlink satellites together with other orbiting satellites. The geographical spread of the reports demonstrated how a single visible satellite pass can trigger simultaneous sightings over much of the country.[El Megáfono]elmegafono.uyEl MegáfonoCridovni recibió 25 reportes por luces en el cielo y confirmó que eran satélites | El MegáfonoFebruary 16, 2026…
Why satellite trains look so unusual from the ground
The appearance of newly launched satellite constellations differs significantly from what most people expect when they think of satellites.
Instead of a single faint point moving steadily across the sky, recently deployed Starlink satellites initially travel close together before gradually separating into their operational orbits. During this phase they can resemble:
- A perfectly straight line of evenly spaced lights.
- A silent procession of bright objects travelling at constant speed.
- A formation that seems too regular to be aircraft.
- Multiple objects following one another with identical spacing.
For observers unfamiliar with orbital launches, this appearance can seem artificial or unprecedented. Because the satellites reflect sunlight while observers on the ground are already in darkness, they can remain brilliantly illuminated even on apparently clear night skies.
Brightness also changes rapidly as satellites rotate or as the Sun–satellite–observer geometry shifts. Individual satellites may brighten dramatically before fading again, creating the impression that they are manoeuvring or changing speed when their motion remains entirely orbital. Research into Starlink-related UAP reports has shown that these illumination effects are a major reason experienced pilots as well as members of the public sometimes misidentify satellite formations.[arXiv]arxiv.orgEnhancing Space Situational Awareness to Mitigate Risk: A Single-Case Study in the Misidentification of a Recently-Launched Starlink…
Why Uruguay is especially susceptible
Several local conditions make satellite-related misidentifications particularly likely in Uruguay.
Outside the Montevideo metropolitan area, many regions have comparatively dark skies and unobstructed southern horizons. Coastal areas, rural farmland and the interior provide long viewing distances with little terrain blocking low-angle satellite passes.
At the same time, the country’s relatively small population means that unusual celestial events often spread rapidly through local media and social networks. Once early photographs begin circulating, additional observers may actively search the sky, leading to clusters of reports that appear to represent multiple independent incidents even though they describe the same orbital event.
This pattern differs from classic UFO “waves” driven by unrelated local sightings. Instead, a single astronomical event can generate reports from many departments within a few hours.
How investigators distinguish satellites from aircraft
Modern investigations rely on combining witness evidence with independent aerospace information rather than treating testimony alone as decisive.
CRIDOVNI’s published investigations indicate that analysts compare reported times, viewing directions and elevations with available aerospace records before reaching conclusions. In satellite cases, investigators typically look for several characteristic features:
- Constant speed without abrupt acceleration.
- Silent movement across the sky.
- No navigation lights or flashing anti-collision beacons typical of aircraft.
- Linear formations with consistent spacing.
- Agreement with known satellite trajectories at the reported time.
The 2023 Paysandú investigation explicitly stated that witness interviews, photographic evidence and aerospace data were examined together before Starlink satellites were identified as the explanation.[Montevideo Portal]montevideo.com.uyMontevideo PortalFuerza Aérea identificó qué eran las luces avistadas en el cielo de Paysandú en febreroMay 2, 2023…
This process also helps separate satellite sightings from other common sources of reports in Uruguay, including aircraft, planets near the horizon, meteors and atmospheric optical effects.
What these cases mean for Uruguay’s UFO record
The repeated identification of satellite constellations does not mean every unexplained aerial report in Uruguay has been solved. CRIDOVNI continues to classify a small proportion of cases as unexplained when available evidence is insufficient or does not match known phenomena.
However, the satellite cases demonstrate an important lesson for interpreting modern UFO statistics. An increase in reports does not necessarily indicate an increase in genuinely anomalous events. Instead, changes in technology—in this case the rapid deployment of thousands of low-Earth-orbit satellites—have created entirely new classes of observations that many witnesses have never encountered before.
For anyone studying Uruguay’s contemporary UFO record, the nationwide waves of 2020, 2023 and 2026 illustrate how advances in space infrastructure can reshape public perception of the night sky. They also show why today’s investigators increasingly combine traditional field investigation with satellite tracking and aerospace databases before concluding that a sighting remains genuinely unexplained.[com.uy]montevideo.com.uyMontevideo PortalFuerza Aérea identificó qué eran las luces avistadas en el cielo de Paysandú en febreroMay 2, 2023…
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Endnotes
1.
Source: montevideo.com.uy
Link:https://www.montevideo.com.uy/Noticias/Fuerza-Aerea-identifico-que-eran-las-luces-avistadas-en-el-cielo-de-Paysandu-en-febrero-uc852807
Source snippet
Montevideo PortalFuerza Aérea identificó qué eran las luces avistadas en el cielo de Paysandú en febreroMay 2, 2023...
Published: May 2, 2023
2.
Source: arxiv.org
Link:https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.08155
Source snippet
Enhancing Space Situational Awareness to Mitigate Risk: A Single-Case Study in the Misidentification of a Recently-Launched Starlink...
3.
Source: elmegafono.uy
Link:https://elmegafono.uy/cridovni-recibio-25-reportes-por-luces-en-el-cielo-y-confirmo-que-eran-satelites/
Source snippet
El MegáfonoCridovni recibió 25 reportes por luces en el cielo y confirmó que eran satélites | El MegáfonoFebruary 16, 2026...
Published: February 16, 2026
4.
Source: montevideo.com.uy
Link:https://www.montevideo.com.uy/Noticias/Fuerza-Aerea-recibio-mas-de-20-denuncias-por-OVNIs-pero-descarto-avistamientos-el-motivo-uc953245
5.
Source: montevideo.com.uy
Link:https://www.montevideo.com.uy/Noticias/Fuerza-Aerea-identifico-que-eran-las-luces-avistadas-en-el-cielo-de-Paysandu-en-febrero-uc852807?plantilla=1685&proceso=amp
Additional References
6.
Source: eltelegrafo.com
Link:https://www.eltelegrafo.com/2026/02/fuerza-aerea-atribuye-a-satelites-starlink-recientes-avistamientos-de-luces-en-el-cielo/
Source snippet
February 18, 2026 — FUERZA AÉREA ATRIBUYE A SATÉLITES STARLINK RECIENTES AVISTAMIENTOS DE LUCES EN EL CIELO febrero 18, 2026 - 12:01 am G...
Published: February 18, 2026
7.
Source: ufouap.net
Title: starlink satellites ufo
Link:https://www.ufouap.net/en/explainers/starlink-satellites-ufo
Source snippet
Starlink Satellites Mistaken for UFOs: Official Sources and Skywatching Guide | Global UFO Archive3 days ago — Skywatching / Updated 2026...
8.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Line of lights in the sky: Starlink satellite train seen over south-central Pa
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hZ0qZ5T9bCg
Source snippet
Starlink Satellites Mistaken As UFOs Over Pittsburgh...
9.
Source: youtube.com
Title: UFO sighting likely Starlink satellites
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZC7NeKu2Vw
Source snippet
Line of lights in the sky: Starlink satellite train seen over south-central Pa...
10.
Source: youtube.com
Title: Space X Starlink
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQKe_WVN5G4
Source snippet
Mystery lights in the sky. UFO? No, it's Starlink from SpaceX...
11.
Source: teledoce.com
Link:https://www.teledoce.com/telemundo/nacionales/comision-encargada-de-estudiar-ovnis-en-uruguay-concluyo-que-fenomeno-se-vio-en-el-cielo-en-las-ultimas-semanas/
12.
Source: subrayado.com.uy
Link:https://www.subrayado.com.uy/fuerza-aerea-recibio-25-reportes-por-avistamientos-nocturnos-luces-vuelo-y-determino-que-eran-satelites-n1000178
13.
Source: cadenadelmar.uy
Link:https://cadenadelmar.uy/nacional/misterio-cielo-uruguayo-fuerza-aerea-determino-que-eran-las-luces-vistas-en-punta-del-este-17238
14.
Source: helvecia.com.uy
Link:https://helvecia.com.uy/2023/05/02/no-eran-ovnis-fuerza-aerea-uruguaya-realizo-investigacion-por-avistamiento-de-luces-en-el-cielo/
15.
Source: mediospublicos.uy
Link:https://mediospublicos.uy/avistamientos-de-febrero-correspondieron-a-satelites-starlink-dice-la-fuerza-aerea/