Sky & Telescope - June 2022 - 84

STUDIO ROOSEGAARDE, ALBERT DROS, AND MEREL TUK
FOCAL POINT by Daan Roosegaarde
A City Goes Dark
How I convinced a Dutch municipality to switch off all its lights.
NOT LONG AGO, in the desert of
Dubai, I looked through a telescope and
saw billion-year-old stars. So distant,
so ancient; for some of them, we don't
even know if they still exist. Such a
sight humbles you.
A few weeks later, back in my home
city, I realized we have this amazing
performance always above us. But we
don't see it because of light pollution.
Then I had an idea: What if for one
night we turn off all the lights in a city,
so we can observe the stars together?
This was the beginning of the idea for
Seeing Stars (https://is.gd/seeingstars).
During the pandemic, we have
often felt isolated in our own bubbles,
disconnected from other people and not
allowed to gather for festivities. Looking
at the starry night sky together gives us
a feeling of unity. It's a COVID-proof
way of celebrating, and something we
can do in our own backyards.
The idea remained in my head for a
year, and I caught myself talking about
it with friends and journalists. I became
a voluntary captive of my own idea, and
I needed to free it to free myself.
So one morning I called the director
of the Dutch tourism board, Jos
Vranken. " Jos, " I said, " I have an idea.
I need a mayor who is willing to switch
off all lights in a city. " A five-second
silence ensued. " I'll call you tomorrow, "
Vranken said.
A few weeks later we traveled to the
city of Franeker in the Netherlands'
northwest and met with its mayor,
Marga Waanders. To our surprise,
she instantly said yes to my concept.
Franeker has a rich astronomical history,
including boasting the world's oldest
working planetarium, built in 1781
by amateur astronomer Eise Eisinga in
his own home. My idea reflected this
heritage. Also, as Waanders realized,
84 JUNE 2022 * SKY & TELESCOPE
The stars come out over Franeker after all nonessential lighting is turned off (right). The Dutch
city of Leiden plans a similar event as part of its Leiden European Year of Science 2022 festival.
the magic of a dark sky would create
a sense of community and boost local
tourism. " I am so proud to switch off
all the lights in our city, to see the stars
and feel connected with each other, "
Waanders declared at the opening.
Enjoying the stars from city streets
may sound like a fairy tale, but Franeker
achieved this during the month of
June 2021. Before the event, we talked
with citizens, entrepreneurs, and local
government, discussing issues such as
ensuring public safety; in its way, it was
a true form of community art. Then,
one night, as we stood in the cold and
windy street, the lights went off, and
we watched as parts of the Milky Way
appeared over the city center.
Beholding the stars, whose light
speeds toward us at 300,000 kilometers
per second, does something to you as a
human. After the event, people shared
their experiences. For some, turning
off all the lights had been discomfiting.
Others had felt enlightened, and had
mused about the future of space travel.
Everyone, though, regardless of their
reaction, had stared up for a time in
awed silence.
To help spread my idea, I spoke with
Kathleen Ferrier, Chairperson of the
Netherlands Commission for UNESCO.
She reacted enthusiastically, saying that
" Everybody should have the right to see
the stars. " We agree, which is why we
encourage cities worldwide to follow
in our footsteps. Already we have seen
interest from Leiden, Sydney, Venice,
Stockholm, and Reykjavík.
Visionaries often talk about smart
cities filled with sensors and AI. But for
me a true smart city is about real connections
- with each other, with the
environment, and with oneself. Being
able to observe the stars in one's own
municipality is an intrinsic part of that
future ideal city. Let's bring this primeval
light back into our lives.
¢ DAAN ROOSEGAARDE is a Dutch artist
and innovator who, in 2007, founded
the Rotterdam-based social-design
lab Studio Roosegaarde (studioroosegaarde.net).

https://www.is.gd/seeingstars https://www.studioroosegaarde.net/projects https://www.studioroosegaarde.net/projects

Sky & Telescope - June 2022

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