Faux Moon Could be Seen in China as Soon as 2020
In an attempt to replace street lamps and increase the brightness in the night’s sky, a city in China plans to unveil an artificial moon by 2020.
The brain child of Wu Chunfeng, chairman of Chengdu Aerospace Science and Technology Microelectronics System Research Institute Co., Ltd (“Casc”, for short), this artificial moon would be a satellite with a coating capable of reflecting the light of the sun onto the streets of Chengdu during the night. Chunfeng claims testing on this technology has already been long underway, according to IFLScience.com.
In addition to providing additional light, there is also hope that this technological advance will also help attract tourists to the area. There are still some who are skeptical of this faux moon, however. Some have voiced concerns that this new light source may affect both the wildlife in the area, as well as the sleep cycles of city residents. While researchers claim the faux moon’s light will merely compliment or enhance the natural moon’s light, this new moon is actually capable of producing eight times as much light as the actual moon.
