So a guy from Jupiter tells me he can’t see the stars because the streetlights of Colorado Springs are too bright.

Really!

Rex Johnson of Jupiter wants the city to turn off neighborhood streetlights pemanently to he has a better view of the night sky.

OK. Rex is not an alien. He lives on Jupiter Drive in Lower Skyway, where else?

And he is not alone.

Several dozen Springs residents have asked the city to leave their neighborhoods in the dark as crews begin reactivating lights.

Rex Johnson hopes his neighbors on Jupiter Drive agree to keep turned off this streetlight across from his home.

This is the light that prevents Rex Johnson of Jupiter from seeing the night skies.

A year ago, the city darkened 8,230 lights, including 4,590 in neighborhoods, to save $1.27 million.

Some residents were so upset they paid to $10 to $20 a month to “adopt” their neighborhood lights and keep them lit.  Eventually, 1,250 neighborhood lights were adopted.

Jupiter isn’t so far away after all. Here’s a look at Rex Johnson’s street from FlashEarth.com:

City crews are about half finished reactivating lights turned out on neighborhood streets last February. Here’s a look at their progress as of last week:

Here’s a link to the city’s streetlight reactivation status map.

And here’s a link to a column I wrote last March about lights being turned out.

Requests to keep streetlights off were due to the city by Friday, Dec. 31, 2010. But if you have questions, try calling 385-2852 or email streetlights@springsgov.com.

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