A Year of Light by Andrea Garrec

"A Year of Light" explores the evolution of the day-night cycle throughout the year and according to latitude. This visualization presents a luminous identity map of several cities around the world, offering a sensitive interpretation of the light variations from the winter solstice to the summer solstice. Rather than providing precise data on sunrise and sunset times, the project offers a more intuitive and global vision of the light rhythm specific to each city.
The visualization is based on astronomical data, including the length of the day, the length of the night (combining morning and evening), and the three phases of twilight (astronomical, nautical, civil). The circle was chosen to represent the cyclical nature of the seasonal phenomenon, while a blur effect softens the transitions between light and dark, creating a pictorial effect that evokes the textures of dry pastels.
The arrangement of the halos reflects the geography and seasons of the cities: in Nairobi, near the equator, the halos are almost perfect and symmetrical, while in Europe or the Southern Hemisphere, their orientation changes according to the seasons. In summer, the twilight phase in Oslo, near the Arctic Circle, takes a unique shape, resembling a halo of light projected onto a sphere.