An effort to see the Milky Way is underway with a potential new city law that requires softer, subtler lighting in Pittsburgh’s public parks, buildings and along the streets.

Mayor Bill Peduto’s office on Tuesday introduced a “dark sky” ordinance in an effort to reduce light pollution that often upstages the stars, disrupts wildlife and wastes energy…

Currently, the city’s roughly 35,000 LED streetlights blaze at a color temperature of 5,000 Kelvins — a cool daylight-like brightness that disperses a blue light that is much brighter than the warmer, softer 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvins recommended by the International Dark Sky Association.

Streetlights are now available in the lower color temperature thanks to the evolving LED technology, according to Steve Quick, an architect and adjunct instructor with Carnegie Mellon University’s School of Architecture, who also spoke at the press conference.
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