> But there is a downside to LEDs: They're much brighter than old-fashioned energy-guzzling light bulbs.
Are light bulbs actually being used in street lighting? I can't recall ever seeing that. Typically there's some gas-discharge lighting for that, and as far as I know, good old sodium-vapor lamps are pretty energy-efficient, on top of being not-terrible for astronomy.
This makes me wonder: what are LEDs replacing? And why are LEDs being installed rather than sodium-vapor lights? Is it because they are whiter? Cheaper to install? Just more hip?
Are light bulbs actually being used in street lighting? I can't recall ever seeing that. Typically there's some gas-discharge lighting for that, and as far as I know, good old sodium-vapor lamps are pretty energy-efficient, on top of being not-terrible for astronomy.
This makes me wonder: what are LEDs replacing? And why are LEDs being installed rather than sodium-vapor lights? Is it because they are whiter? Cheaper to install? Just more hip?