NOV 5 GIANTIC MIRRORS USED TO ILLUMINATE NORWEIGAN TOWN

NOV 5 GIGANTIC MIRRORS USED TO ILLUMINATE NORWEGIAN TOWN

This week's blog is a lot like an episode from the old SUPER-FRIENDS cartoon show.  Here's the plot: Evil Lex Luther's darkness ray has plunged Gotham City into darkness day and night.  All seems lost until Superman gets an idea.  Holding a gigantic mirror, he flies high in the sky.  Then, the Man of Steel reflects enough sunlight to light Metropolis and saves the day.   Fantastic!

Believe it or not, goofy cartoons became reality last week in Norway.   See, the town of Rjukan was built in a steep mountain valley.  Long ago, this hidden location provided protection from savage Viking barbarian raids.  However, these days, the valley setting has become more of a curse.  During the lengthy Scandinavian winters, the town is pitch black for five months straight.  Yuck!

Not any more!  An insane idea, started by Sam Eyde over a hundred years ago, was revived and implemented.  Here's what happened: First, helicopters moved three 183-foot-high mirrors to the top of a nearby mountain, some 1,400 feet above the town.  Called heliostats, these enormous reflective structures are more commonly used in the Middle East for solar power.  Controlled remotely by computers, they follow the sun across the sky, projecting sunlight to the city below.  Ingenious!

Last Wednesday, they were finally put to test.  The residents of Rjukan gathered in the town square.  They had to wait a couple hours for the clouds to clear.  Then...BAM!...the downtown was drenched in precious sunlight.  The citizens erupted in delight, triumphantly waiving Norwegian flags and downing vodka shots.  The mayor cried as a local rock band cranked out the chorus to "Let The Sunshine In" by the Fifth Dimension.  Stupendous!

The future looks bright for the people of Rjukan.  "Before, when it was a fine day, you see blue sky above and know the sun was shining," explained Karin Roe, a local resident.  "But you could never see the sun.  It was very frustrating."  Scientists were also on hand.  They were astounded that the mirrors really worked.  The temperature of the city went up to 45 degrees Farenheit.  Hot damn!