Satellites orbiting the Earth are visible only when illuminated by the Sun and viewed at night. They look like moving points of light that can be seen as they pass overhead. In fact, their motion is so swift that it can sometimes be difficult to see them with the naked eye at all.

These are Earth-orbiting satellites, visible due to the reflection of the Sun's light off their surfaces toward the observer. Hundreds of satellites are visible to the unaided eye; thousands are visible using binoculars and telescopes. Observing satellites has many enthusiasts around the world.