Why a city in China wants to launch an artificial moon in space

A Chinese city has come up with a plan to launch an artificial moon in space two years from now, according to a new report.

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan Province, has proposed a plan to launch an artificial moon, or satellite lighting, in the space, Asia Times reports. The moon would be eight times brighter than the Earth's current moon, which would allow the streets of Chengdu to be illuminated by the satellite rather than by street lamps.

According to local reports collected by the Asia Times, the city has been evaluating the technology behind an artificial moon for years and has tested it enough to make sure it's ready to go. The artificial moon is a reflective coating capable of directing sunlight to the Earth and covering a range of 6 to 50 miles. Field managers can control the diameter of the light to make sure it focuses precisely on the city and nowhere else, according to the report.

If Chengdu can get approval for the artificial moon and launch it into space in the next two years, the city hopes it will help save money by brightening its streets. The city also thinks tourists would be more likely to visit and see how the moon worked during the night, according to the report.

However, you do not necessarily need to travel to Chengdu to see it: according to reports, astronomers equipped with telescopes should be able to see it anywhere on the globe.