Dark Sky

  I’ve previous written two articles (1) & (2) about a startup that is seeking to reflect sunlight onto Earth with a constellation of giant space mirrors. That startup, Reflect Orbital, based in California, plans to deploy up to 50,000 orbiting mirrors by 2035 to provide $5,000/hour “sunlight on demand” for solar farms (also to [...]

  Maine’s LD 1934, titled “An Act to Promote Responsible Outdoor Lighting,” enacted in January 2026, establishes strict, comprehensive regulations to reduce light pollution from new or replaced public outdoor lighting, both residential and commercial. The law mandates specific lighting standards, including a 0.1 lux limit on light trespass into wilderness areas and a required [...]

  Photometrics AI has integrated real-time bird migration data from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s BirdCast platform into its street-lighting optimization system to automatically dim lights during peak migration events and reduce fatal bird collisions with buildings. The collaboration aims to turn what has often been episodic “lights out” campaigns into an ongoing, automated operational [...]

  LightNOW has recently reported on the new Maine Dark Sky Law enacted in January, as well as a new proposed Hawaiian Dark Sky bill. Both set restrictive / aggressive requirements at night, for both residential and commercial outdoor lighting. The American Lighting Association is tracking more than a dozen Dark Sky state bills across [...]

  A strict new statewide light pollution bill has been introduced in the Hawaii State House, HB 1579. This latest proposed dark sky state legislation aims to protect human health, astronomy, and native wildlife, such as sea turtles and seabirds, that are disoriented by bright coastal lighting. Context HB 1579 would apply statewide to outdoor [...]

  Maine’s LD 1934 is new lighting legislation that is the strictest light pollution state requirements in the country. On January 7, 2026, Maine’s Governor Mills announced she would allow the vast majority of held bills from 2025 (52 out of 61) to become law without her signature. LD 1934 has officially become law. Effective Date [...]

  Reflect Orbital, a California startup, plans to launch a demonstration satellite in 2026 that will unfold a large mirror (about 60 by 60 feet) to direct sunlight to specific ground targets, initiating a broader goal of a constellation of roughly 4,000 solar reflectors to provide “light on demand” and extend daylight hours. The venture [...]

Glamox, a leader in marine lighting solutions, has introduced new wildlife and turtle-friendly versions of its popular LED marine luminaires, specifically designed to reduce the negative impact of artificial lighting on nesting sea turtles and their hatchlings. These amber-colored lights are intended for use on the exterior of vessels and coastal facilities, addressing a growing [...]

Here are the detailed criteria for luminaires to be certified to the DarkSky Approved Luminaires program v3.0: DarkSky Residential Luminaire criteria A. Output: Luminaire total light output shall not exceed 1,000 lumens. B. Uplight: No more than 50 lumens are allowed between 90 and 180 degrees above nadir (i.e., LCS zones UL and UH combined). [...]