Stellafane Observatory Dark Skies Lighting
Project Type
Dark Sky, Architecture
Location
Springfield, VT
Year
2009
Team
Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc.
Balancing Security and Starry Skies in Springfield, Vermont
Located just 6.5 miles from the renowned Stellafane Observatory, the Vermont Southern State Correctional Facility faced a unique lighting challenge. As the State of Vermont prepared to construct this new correctional facility, the nearby observatory’s advocates raised concerns about potential light pollution and the loss of pristine dark skies. Clanton & Associates was commissioned to design a security lighting system that would meet the facility’s needs without compromising the dark sky experience cherished by the observatory and its international supporters.
Clanton & Associates developed a groundbreaking lighting design that both enhanced security and preserved the night sky over Stellafane. The team focused on minimizing light pollution through a tailored approach that exclusively illuminated building facades and the interior surface of the perimeter fence using fully shielded downlights. This design provided essential visibility for security personnel by enabling silhouette detection against the softly lit facades, a solution that had never been implemented successfully in a correctional facility prior to this project.
In a testament to collaborative problem-solving, the State of Vermont signed an agreement with the Springfield Telescope Makers, Inc., the caretakers of Stellafane, ensuring no net increase in sky glow. Clanton & Associates contributed to this effort by performing a mitigation report, identifying three nearby private sites where light pollution could be reduced to offset the new facility’s lighting impact. The results were outstanding: sky glow above Stellafane was actually reduced below pre-construction levels, preserving the observatory’s iconic night-sky views.
The success of this project drew recognition from the Dark Sky International , which highlighted it as a model for energy-efficient, low-impact security lighting. As stated in Dark Sky’s article, “Springfield prison is now a model for low impact (and energy efficient!) outdoor lighting.” The project stands as an example of how collaboration and innovative design can achieve harmony between security and environmental preservation.
