#artificialsunlight — Public Fediverse posts

@sundogplanets

Article referenced in the commentary, from November 2025.

Seeking Profits, Private Companies Look to Light up the Night Sky

Reflect Orbital’s plan to deliver “sunlight on demand” using thousands of giant orbital mirrors is just the latest in a growing list of disruptive commercial activities in space

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/alarm-grows-over-proposed-giant-mirrors-in-orbit-and-other-commercial-space/

#ArtificialSunlight #SpaceMirrors
#DarkSkies #SpacePollution #LightPollution #BadIdea #ReflectOrbital #USPol

Selling the Sun

Commentary by cartoonist #JenSorensen :

"The FCC just approved the test launch of a space mirror-bearing satellite from a company called Reflect Orbital. The plan is to test one mirror this year, and scale up to a 'constellation' of 50,000 by 2035.

For a few years now, the company has been touting the illumination of solar farms at night as the primary reason for the mirrors. Setting aside whether this is feasible or even a priority in a country that is doing its best to undermine solar power, the company is openly promoting other, less noble uses: extending working hours at industrial sites, replacing streetlights in urban areas, and (as I mentioned in the comic) 'unforgettable nighttime experiences.'

For more background on why space mirrors are a bad idea, I recommend this Scientific American article from last year. Interestingly, this is not the first time this concept has been tried. Russia launched a prototype in the 1990s and abandoned the project. "

Source:
https://jensorensen.com/2026/07/15/selling-the-sun/

#ArtificialSunlight #SpaceMirrors #DarkSkies #SpacePollution #LightPollution #BadIdea #ReflectOrbital #USPol

An Artificial Sun In A Manageable Size - The sun is our planet’s source of natural illumination, and though we’ve mastered ... - https://hackaday.com/2025/03/28/an-artificial-sun-in-a-manageable-size/ #artificialsunlight #ledhacks #diffuser #sunlight

I tried making artificial sunlight at home

https://victorpoughon.fr/i-tried-making-artificial-sunlight-at-home/

#HackerNews #artificialsunlight #DIYscience #homeexperiments #innovation #lighting

This Headboard Contains an Artificial Sun - Despite the proliferation of artificial lighting, humans are still highly dependen... - https://hackaday.com/2022/10/12/this-headboard-contains-an-artificial-sun/ #interactivefurniture #artificialsunlight #voiceassistant #medicalhacks #speakupclick #furniture #headboard #ledhacks #prisma

‘Tiny Wake-Up Light Is Hugely Bright - Let’s face it — waking up is rough no matter what time of year it is. But the dark... - https://hackaday.com/2021/11/06/tiny-wake-up-light-is-hugely-bright/ #artificialsunlight #sunriselight #attinyhacks #attiny2313 #lifehacks