''The Light'' is a 1987 composition by Philip Glass, his first score for a full symphony orchestra. The work was commissioned for the Michelson-Morley Centennial Celebration held at Case Western Reserve University. The musical structure is inspired by the 1887

Michelson–Morley experiment The Michelson–Morley experiment was an attempt to detect the existence of the luminiferous aether, a supposed medium permeating space that was thought to be the carrier of light waves. The experiment was performed between April and July 188 ...

, an investigation of the

speed of light The speed of light in vacuum, commonly denoted , is a universal physical constant that is important in many areas of physics. The speed of light is exactly equal to ). According to the special theory of relativity, is the upper limit ...

that marked a turning point in modern science. An excerpt of ''The Light'' plays in the 2022 documentary '' Moonage Daydream''.

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