Aarhus turns off the lights — and AU points its telescopes at the stars

On Sunday 6 September 2026 from 21:30 to 23:00, parts of central Aarhus will be placed in darkness. Streetlights, façade lighting and lights in central buildings will be turned off in the area around Musikhusparken and Rådhusparken, while citizens, businesses and institutions will be encouraged to do the same.The occasion is Seeing Stars, an international artwork by Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde, which will conclude Aarhus Festival 2026. The work is based on the simple idea: “Lights off, stars on.” When artificial light disappears, nature’s own light becomes visible again.For SpaCe – Aarhus Space Centre, the evening will be a rare opportunity to bring astronomy into the heart of the city.

“Most people associate the starry sky with places far away from the lights of the city. But when Aarhus turns off the lights for a while, we have the opportunity to show how much of the universe is actually right above us. It provides both a scientific perspective and a powerful shared experience,” says Hans Kjeldsen, Professor of Astrophysics at Aarhus University.

Telescopes in the dark

In collaboration with Ole Rømer Observatory and SpaCe – Aarhus Space Centre, the public will have the opportunity to explore the night sky through telescopes directed at selected stars, planets and other celestial objects. Part of AU’s contribution comes from the Remote Teaching Telescope, FUT, which is used for teaching and outreach in astronomy.

“With the Remote Teaching Telescope, FUT, we work precisely to make astronomy accessible to school pupils, students and curious citizens. Seeing Stars is an ideal opportunity to show how telescopes and modern astronomical outreach can bring the universe closer — even in the middle of a city,” says Karsten Brogaard, Associate Professor at the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Aarhus University and responsible for the Remote Teaching Telescope.

When darkness becomes a shared experience

Light pollution means that many people today rarely experience a dark night sky. In cities, the stars are often hidden behind streetlights, buildings, illuminated signs and other artificial lighting. For a brief moment, Seeing Stars reverses this development. By turning off the lights in a central area of Aarhus, the night sky becomes visible in a new way, and the public is invited to look up together. The evening will also be accompanied by brass musicians from the Royal Academy of Music Aarhus/Aalborg, as the lights are turned off in landmark buildings such as ARoS, Musikhuset, Ridehuset and Aarhus City Hall.For Aarhus Festival, the artwork is intended as a poetic conclusion to the festival and as an experience that can only succeed through collective participation. For the astronomers from Aarhus University, it is also an opportunity to talk about our relationship with the night sky, light pollution and our place in the universe.

Facts about Seeing Stars in Aarhus

• Seeing Stars takes place on Sunday 6 September 2026 from 21:30 to 23:00.
• The epicentre is Musikhusparken, from where the lights will be turned off within a radius of approximately 500 metres.
• The artwork was created by Daan Roosegaarde - Studio Roosegaarde, and has previously been carried out in the Netherlands, where UNESCO was patron.
• In Aarhus, Seeing Stars will be carried out as the conclusion of Aarhus Festival 2026 in collaboration with Aarhus Municipality and other authorities.
• SpaCe – Aarhus Space Centre, Ole Rømer Observatory and the Remote Teaching Telescope, FUT, will contribute telescopes and astronomical outreach.
• Seeing Stars is supported by the Kemp & Lauritzen Foundation, Kirsten and Gunnar’s Foundation, Knud Højgaard’s Foundation and the Salling Foundations.

Read more here – news release from Aarhus Festival