The small town of Rjukan in Norway is situated between several mountains and does not get direct sunlight from late September to midMarch—nearly six months out of the year.
"Of course, we1it when the sun is shining", says Karin Ro, who works for the town's tourism office. "We see the sky is 2, but down in the valley it's darker—it's like on a 3 day."
But that changed when a system of hightech 4 was introduced to reflect sunlight from neighboring peaks (山峰) into the valley below. Wednesday, residents (居民) of Rjukan 5 their very first ray of winter sunshine: A row of reflective boards on a nearby mountainside were put to 6. The mirrors are controlled by a computer that 7 them to turn along with the sun throughout the day and to close during windy weather. They reflect a concentrated beam (束) of light onto the town's central 8, creating an area of sunlight roughly 600 square meters. When the light 9, Rjukan residents gathered together.
"People have been sitting there and standing there and taking 10 of each other, " Ro says. "The town square was totally 11. I think almost all the people in the town were there." The 3, 500 residents cannot all enjoy the sunshine at the same time. 12, the new light feels like more than enough for the town's 13 residents.
"It's not very 14, " she says, "but it is enough when we are 15."
