SUNLIGHT-BASED SUN IMITATING ILLUMINATION

A sunlight-based projector system (3) is disclosed for providing a direct light beam (5). The projector system (3) comprises a sunlight receiving unit (9) with a collector system (13), a plurality of optical fibers (15), and a plurality of fiber output channels (44). The collector system (13) collects natural outdoor light, and couples the collected light into the plurality of optical fibers (15). The projector system (3) comprises further a sunlight forming unit (11) with a plurality of optical collimator units (47) arranged in a two-dimensional array, wherein each optical collimator unit (47) receives the respective fiber output light (45) and comprises at least one optical collimator (49) for reducing the angular distribution width of the received divergent fiber output light (45). Output areas of the plurality of optical collimator units (47) form essentially a continuously extending large light- emitting face (53) of the sunlight forming unit (11) for emitting an essentially collimated light beam (5). The generated direct light beam (5) may be used together with diffused light generating areal units to provide a sun-sky imitating lighting system with a sun-like appearance.