09/02/2026
Ted Peters, retired director of the Geneva Lake Environmental Agency, admits he likes living on Geneva Lake where he can easily admire stars in the dark skies. For that reason, he has kindly provided lakeshore residency for a GLAS Education dark sky sensor on his property for the past eight years. The sensor on Ted’s property has provided GLAS with data about light pollution over Geneva Lake. This week, that sensor got a well-deserved update. The sensor's battery and solar panels were formerly housed in a plastic screwtop jar, similar to those used for pickled vegetables, and definitely not a light-sensitive sensor.
The battery and solar panels in the old jar set were starting to fail and Adam McCulloch, GLAS Education and Outreach Manager, decided to do more than just replace the power pack. He created a 3D-print housing unit, making it more compact, efficient and durable.
The night sky sensor is mounted on a six-foot pole in an open area about a quarter mile from the Geneva Lake shore. "I am up on a hill and have a pretty good view of the Lake," Ted said. He explained that the sensor has an unobstructed view of the sky with 45 degree clearance in all directions. Ted agrees that it's important to monitor the effects of light pollution in the night sky over Geneva Lake. Research has shown that night-time lighting over and reflected on the lake interferes with the spawning behavior of fish.
Ted has lived in the Geneva Lake area for about 47 years, and it’s his belief that more light is leaking into the night skies. He said, "There's an overall concern from many about what's happening to our environment, and I think light pollution is a serious problem that deserves the time and attention that the GLAS team is investing."
