Solar panels don't work at night. Perhaps they can while simultaneously saving energy by reduced consumption from streetlights

[Enthalpic + 1,496]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_moon

https://time.com/5429288/china-chengdu-artificial-moon/

https://www.esquire.com/lifestyle/a23937900/china-man-made-moon-launching-2020/

Edited February 6, 2020 by Enthalpic

[Enthalpic + 1,496]

Please discuss.

 

[markslawson + 1,057]

Quite an idea.. there's nothing really wrong with it, as far as I can see, but I doubt that it would past any serious cost-benefit analysis. I didn't see an estimate of this artificial moon's size but I imagine it would be quite sizable and so quite an effort to put into orbit. Then there is the problem that it would be in geo-synchronous orbit (above one spot on the earth at all times). Satellites put in such a spot do not just stay there. There is always some drift so the position has to be corrected with small rockets every now and then - in other words it would have to be refueled - perhaps every couple of years. The refuel flights alone would probably eat up up any saving from not having street lights.  Then there is the problem of constantly, additional, albeit weak light on one spot. What will happen in summer and how will plant and bird life and so on react? In the west it would only take one endangered species to wreck the whole proposal. Satellites have been getting smaller of late, incidentally, not larger. But the proposal is bad fun. I'm not against it, so much as wary of it..  

[Enthalpic + 1,496]

52 minutes ago, markslawson said:

 how will plant and bird life and so on react?

Circadian rhythm disruption was the first thing that came to my mind.

https://www.nigms.nih.gov/education/pages/factsheet_circadianrhythms.aspx

Thanks for your contribution.