As a board member of the Fountain Hills Dark Sky Association, I am submitting this letter as Part 2 in a seven-part community education series, which is required by the International Dark Sky Association (IDA) for Fountain Hills to achieve the prestigious Dark Sky Community designation.

What does the CCT rating mean that is seen on all new light bulbs? CCT stands for Correlated Color Temperature. It defines color, not brightness of a light source and is measured in degrees Kelvin. A low CCT is in the amber end of the color spectrum while a high CCT is in the blue-white end of the spectrum. For reference purposes, a standard incandescent light is about 3000K while the bright white xenon headlights of some newer cars are 4500K.

There is a national movement to either limit or eliminate high CCT outdoor lighting. The reasons are twofold. First, in June 2016, the American Medical Association (AMA) adopted a groundbreaking report that affirms known and suspected impacts to human health and the environment caused by high CCT outdoor lighting. The AMA therefore recommends all outdoor lighting be 3000K or less because higher CCT lighting causes sleep disruption (which leads to obesity, depression, diabetes and more) and disability glare.

Second, outdoor lighting above 3000K CCT causes light scattering in the atmosphere, which results in graying of the sky and a significant reduction in the ability to see stars and enjoy the wonders of our nighttime universe.

Because of the above concerns, the Town of Fountain Hills approved in 2016 an updated outdoor lighting ordinance that requires all new outdoor lighting to have a CCT of 3000K or less.

More information, along with helpful graphics to explain CCT, is on our website at fhdarksky.com.