Lights off – Stars on

all the city lights

will be turned off

the 28th of september 2006

from 10:00 – 10:30 PM

a renowned astronomer will talk about the stars

on national broadcast radio

everyone is invited



The 28th of september 2006 The City Council of Reykjavik and its neighboring municipalities agreed to turn off all the city lights in the capital area for half an hour, while a renowned astronomer talks about the stars and the constellations on national radio.

This is an idea by Andri Snær Magnason, an Icelandic writer of poetry, children’s books, plays and novels. Þorsteinn Sæmundsson PhD astronomist talked about the stars.

All city lights in Reykjavik are generated with CO2 free energy so the act had nothing to do with raising awareness of global warming. The only initiative is the fact that we are raising the first generation on earth without access to dark skies, stars and the Milkyway. The universe above us has been the primal inspiration for homo sapiens in science, religion, art and philosophy. Imagine if we would raise a whole generation without music, dance or colors. That is what we are doing when we turned off the stars. The Lights out / Stars on reached some attention. The New Scientist wrote an editorial about it and asked. If Reykjavik this year, why not London or New York next year?

Links here:

Article in New Scientist.

Chinese article: