On seemingly random days over the last few weeks, Denverites have looked to the night sky and seen an ethereal pinkish glow emanating from the western part of the city.
Could it be aliens? A meteorological phenomenon? Blucifer initiating the end times?
One of our colleagues was hopeful she had seen the Northern Lights. The same theory popped up on Reddit, where commenters argued about the light’s origins. The light always appeared near Empower Field at Mile High, but it didn’t align with the Broncos’ schedule, and the hue was so strange.
“The lights are off and the sky is still orange/pink, no idea why everyone is saying this,” one user replied.
The Broncos told us why the sky is glowing pink.
My journey to discover the source of the light started as quickly as it ended. I’d placed three calls and emails when I got a response from the Denver Broncos.
“We do have an idea of what this could be!” team spokesperson Megan Boyle wrote.
Turns out, the light originates from a new system of powerful LED grow lights. Empower Field groundskeepers use the lights to preserve the stadium’s green grass, especially during the winter months.
“During this time of year, it is common to experience extreme weather, colder temperatures, and weakened sun intensity,” Boyle wrote. “Grow lights (which emanate the light you are seeing) assist in the growth of the grass, keeping a healthy and safe playing surface for the team.”
The light does not come from the towers that illuminate the stadium during games. Instead, these long strips of LEDs are temporarily placed on the field itself, held up a few feet above the turf.
The system is brand new, according to the Denver Gazette. The technology first became popular across European soccer stadiums before coming stateside. It's just one part of the Broncos’ strategy to maintain a grass field, instead of risking injuries on potentially more hazardous artificial turf.
As for the pinkish hue — that’s just the color of the lights.
Grow systems often combine red lights with a touch of blue, creating a spectrum that plants can use more efficiently. The Broncos’ system also uses high-pressure sodium bulbs with an orange-yellow color, but those will be phased out because they're less energy efficient. (I’ll let the scientists explain the importance of the color spectrum in photosynthesis.)
The lights stay on for days (and nights) at a time, typically before home games. Chris Hathaway, director of turf and ground for the Broncos, posted on X that it was last on between Nov. 20 and 25.
The Broncos have three home games left in the regular season, so the glow may soon fade. However, if Bo Nix can lead his team to their first postseason run since the 2015-'16 season, Denverites may see the lights shining late into winter.
Ed. note: Paolo had a great line about how the light in the sky “beckoned” to him, as if he were “Jay Gatsby staring at the light on Daisy’s dock,” but I cut it because I’m heartless. -AK
