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Light pollution is known to cause several problems when it comes to both humans and nature, including interfering with wildlife migratory patterns, wastes energy with unnecessary outdoor lighting, unsafe driving conditions with lighting glare, and can disrupt your internal body clock to name just a few.
Some cities around the world have taken to light fixture shielding to help curb light pollution, while others simply shut off lighting that isn’t being used at certain times during the night. The Chinese city of Chengdu is planning a more exciting solution to curb light pollution and conserve energy- launching an artificial moon or “illumination satellite,” which is expected to amplify the actual moon’s brightness by a factor of eight, reducing their need for street lights.
According to the chairman Wu Chunfeng of the Chengdu Aerospace Science and Technology Microelectronics System Research Institute (CASC) (who discussed the project at a local event) stated, “This idea was born in Tianfu New District and is now mature in technology,” and it’s expected that the “artificial moon” will be launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in Sichuan in 2020.
Chunxi Street, Chengdu, China. (Image credit: Charlie Fong via Wikipedia)
While very little is known about the project, the People’s Daily reported that the illumination satellite will light-up an area with a diameter of 6 to 50-miles, and can be precision-controlled within a dozen meters. According to the Asia Times, the satellite features a highly-reflective coating to reflect sunlight using “solar panel-like wings,” which can be adjusted for precision lighting.
While none of this information can be corroborated from the Chengdu government or CASC, chairman Wu claims testing for the project took place years ago, and the technology has advanced enough to make the artificial moon satellite a reality. Wu also states that the idea came from a French artist who envisioned hanging a necklace with mirrors above Paris to illuminate the city year-round.
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