Andri Snær Magnason

At 10pm, all the lights in Reykjavik were turned off for half an hour -  streetlights as well as lights in houses and businesses - to let people look at the stars and enjoy the night sky. During this time, an astronomer was talking about the sky on the national radio, describing the visible constellations.

This event, the first widespread intentional blackout in the world, was organized by Andri Snær Magnason, writer of poetry and children books, with the collaboration of the City Council, police and fire department.

The first aim of the project was to give urban youth the chance to see something that otherwise they might never be able to experience within the city - the night sky:

"We live in a city and we make electricity and lights and, if we want to, we can also turn them off. The system is for us… The constellations in the dark, winter sky are something that has been the root of philosophy and navigation and religion and science… As the sky is now people don’t really have access to it."

^{from an interview with Grapevine
( an english-speaking newspaper in Iceland),
RIFF Brings Darkness to Urban Youth}

As Andri Snær Magnason reported, the blackout went without any accidents or crimes:

"Some will quibble over the practicalities. Wouldn’t criminals have a field day? Probably not, since criminals need light as much as anyone to do their worst. Like the rest of us, they would simply have to stand and stare."

^{www.andrisnaer.is}

You can look at this picture and imagine an alternative

The New Scientist magazine supports visionary efforts like Andri's:

"There is something grand and humbling about this collective act that we could all usefully share. Outside Iceland, campaigners against light pollution seem reluctant to push the idea, so we're taking up the gauntlet. Let every country set aside an hour each year when we turn out the lights."

Turn out the lights, stare at the stars

And read Andri's full message of support for Aberdeenshire's Switch Off - Look Up project.