A Norwegian town is set to emerge from the shadows this winter thanks to three giant mirrors which will send much needed sunlight to long-suffering residents.
The town of Rjukanis is situated at the bottom of a narrow valley where the sun doesn’t shine during the long Nordic winter. However, it will be shades and vitamin D all round when the mirrors are switched on later this month.
Local artist Martin Andersen lead a campaign to fund the three giant mirrors to reflect the sun's rays from the mountain top, into the town square.
They’ve just been installed and tested, and are about to be turned on for the winter.
“These are three heliostats that have been erected to beam the sun down to the Rjukan square as a kind of a health project to promote the well-being of the people in the shade”, Mr Andersen said.
The mirrors measure 51 square metres and are designed to reflect sunshine into a broad, elliptical pool of bright light. Each mirror is guided wirelessly by a computer programme that follows the sun’s path.
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