Rjukan, the 'town without the sun' in Norway, had to set up a giant mirror to catch the sun

Rjukan is a small Norwegian town, located in the Vestfjord valley, surrounded by towering mountains. As a result, the shadow of the mountains looming over the town means that Rjukan will be deprived of sunlight during the winter months. This gives Rjukan the title "town without the sun".

The residents here cannot see the sun from September to mid-March next year.

From the end of September to the middle of March next year, the shadow from the mountains falls on the town, leaving Rjukan always in the shadow of the mountains, and the residents here cannot see the direct sunlight.

The absence of direct sunlight affects the physical and mental health of the townspeople of Rjukan, limiting outdoor activities. In addition, this also affects the development of crops and agriculture.

The townspeople of Rjukan had to live in the shade of the surrounding mountains until 2013, when giant mirrors were installed 450m above the surrounding mountains to catch sunlight reflecting off the residential area. at a cost of $825,000. The original purpose of this was just to help people get rid of boredom as well as long-term lack of sunlight. But then, the project helped the town attract tourists to flock here, causing the local economy to change as well.

The solar mirror project consists of three large mirrors, each measuring about 17 square meters, installed on a mountainside with precise engineering and design. It is considered a technological wonder of the modern world.

These mirrors will redirect its rays into the central square of Rjukan by computer-controlled to move in the Sun's orbit every 10 seconds.

Lesley Montoya

Update 27 June 2023