Mysterious lights seen for miles from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park

But the reason is much extra right down to earth. 

The eerie glow blanketing the park got here from Lightscape, a large new after-dark expertise on the San Francisco Botanical Garden that options greater than one million lights, synchronized music and a milelong path of illuminated sculptures and water options. The present, which launched on Nov. 21, has been a large hit, with many dates close to promoting out, based on Brendan Lange, a spokesperson for the Gardens of Golden Gate Park.

“We are very excited about the response to Lightscape thus far—more than 15,000 people enjoyed this new, after dark, experience this past weekend,” Lange wrote in an electronic mail to SFGATE.

While the lights could seem extraterrestrial from a distance, the celebs of the present are the crops themselves. “Showcasing—while protecting—the Garden’s collections is our top priority,” Lange stated. 

Given the dimensions of the set up, groups on the Botanical Garden have applied a number of safeguards to keep away from disrupting wildlife. According to Lange, Lightscape makes use of LEDs in an effort to curb energy utilization and avoids any lasers or beams aimed towards the sky. All lights are additionally turned off by 10:30 p.m. each evening to permit for “normal urban darkness.”

The creators of the present have staged related occasions at different main botanical gardens all through the world, so whereas the thriller has been solved, the spectacle remains to be typically well-received.

“I, for one, welcome our new alien overlords,” as one Reddit consumer stated.