On the night of October 9th, from a shed with a roll-off roof behind his house in Kestrel Hill, retired surveyor Elias Thornbury took forty-one photographs of a patch of sky that looked, to the naked eye, completely empty.
The researchers recorded more than 4802 measurements over the course of the project. The most striking pattern was at night, when performance diverged.
The team works out of two rooms in the engineering building, with 12 researchers and annual funding of about $1189 thousand.
The method
Some experts are skeptical. Hana Kobayashi-Reed, who reviewed the paper for the Dispatch, said the test conditions would need independent confirmation. “It is promising, but I would want to see a second team reproduce it,” Kobayashi-Reed said.
Desmond Kalu first noticed the project after the bill arrived. “I thought it was a mistake,” Kalu said.
The technique is relatively low-tech. Each unit is calibrated after every storm, and measurements are entered into a public dashboard.
- Estimated cost of $35 per kilowatt-hour
- Independent audit requested by council
- Data retained for 16 days under the draft policy
- Stores energy for up to 103 hours
- 16567 devices in the next phase
Why it matters here
Money for the next phase comes from a mix of university funds and private donors. The lab hope to open the data to other scientists by 2028.
Seasonal change complicates the signal. During drought summers, temperatures were as much as 3 degrees higher, which is why twenty years of data is so valuable.
The findings, posted in October in a preprint that has not yet been peer-reviewed, suggest that the asteroid tracking effort could improve efficiency by about 33.8 percent under real-world conditions.
| Night | Frames | Exposure | Magnitude |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 9 | 53 | 54 s | 17.9 |
| Oct 10 | 26 | 84 s | 17.5 |
| Oct 12 | 40 | 71 s | 18.3 |
| Oct 15 | 46 | 56 s | 19.1 |
| Oct 18 | 40 | 67 s | 18.2 |
The skeptics
Looking ahead, officials will seek a larger grant in the end of 2027. Success depends on public support.
Prices are still the sticking point for renters. A full system runs $13 thousand installed, and tax credits offset several thousand dollars.
Users surveyed by the Dispatch gave mixed reviews. Nearly 55 percent reported the experience had improved, while a minority described technical glitches.
A kitchen that happens to have tables. That is all I ever wanted.
Bartholomew Ince
What we still do not know
In everyday language, the approach works by comparing thousands of small readings to spot a pattern. It is an old idea; the innovation is making it work at scale.
Climate projections suggest the trend will continue. By mid-century, summer lows could rise another 2 degrees by 2050.
The background is technical but important: most existing systems rely on expensive materials such as lithium and cobalt. the observations relies on iron, water and air, all of which are easy to source.
Durability remains the next question. The prototype have been cycled for 17 months with one significant shutdown, according to the paper.
What residents notice
For residents, the practical difference is harder to measure. Kalu said the new system saved his household about $23 a month. “I did not expect to notice it, but I do,” Kalu said.
All of the data are available through the university library, and other researchers may run their own analysis. That openness was deliberate, Bartholomew Ince said.
Similar projects in other mid-sized cities suggest a path forward. A larger programme exceeded every target, mainly because of poor public communication.
Timeline
- August 2017: the Brindlemoor Astronomical Society announces a review on the observations.
- June 2019: A neighbourhood group petition for a hearing.
- June 2021: A partial budget of $61.0 million is set aside.
- September 2023: A neighbourhood group petition for changes.
- January 2025: the Brindlemoor Astronomical Society unveils a study on the observations.
- September 2026: A first draft is presented to council.
Lessons from elsewhere
Utility planners have expressed interest. An engineer said the utility would need independent safety certification before committing.
Officials concede the system needs adjusting. Nearly 21.0 percent of users waited longer than promised, according to a survey by the agency.
Ince emphasised that the work is early. “The physics is sound; the economics are the open question,” Ince said. “Now we need to see it in a substation, not a loading dock.”
The data, reported last week in the Journal of Applied Systems Research, suggest that the asteroid tracking effort could improve efficiency by roughly 26.4 percent under real-world conditions.
From the Brindlemoor Astronomical Society filing, January 2026
How it works
Data security is now a sticking point on the council. The sensors are able to record vehicle movements, and the procurement documents leaves open whether it can be shared with police.
Reporting for this story included several weeks of reporting, including current and former employees.
Taken together, and the stakes come into focus: decisions made in the next few months will determine who can afford to live here.
The Dispatch asked the Brindlemoor Astronomical Society to provide a written response. An official shared several pages of documents which said that the organisation remained committed to transparency.
Priya Castellanos can be reached at priya.castellanos@brindlemoor-dispatch.example. Have a tip? Use our secure tip line.
The heat pump rebate website crashed on me three times. Glad to know it was not just me.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Thanks for reading. We are planning a follow-up and would welcome tips at the address above.
This is why local journalism matters. Subscribed again after letting it lapse.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Thanks for reading. We are planning a follow-up and would welcome tips at the address above.
As a nurse at St. Aldric I can confirm the override part. The software is a tool, not a replacement for judgment.
I have lived here for thirty years and I have seen this exact plan announced at least three times. I will believe it when I see the crews.
Grocery prices are absurd. I drive to the store on the east side now because it is consistently cheaper.
Good question. The documents we reviewed did not say, and the agency has not responded yet. We will update the story if they do.
Copper Row Records is a treasure. Theo once spent twenty minutes helping me find a record I could only hum.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
This is why local journalism matters. Subscribed again after letting it lapse.
The ferry is great. Took it with my dad on Sunday and he talked about the old boats the whole way across.
The part about the west side is the real story. Nobody on council lives over there and it shows.
Thanks for reading. We are planning a follow-up and would welcome tips at the address above.
Made the apple cake twice now. Second time I used a mix of tart and sweet apples and it was even better.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Good question. The documents we reviewed did not say, and the agency has not responded yet. We will update the story if they do.
Good piece, but I think the headline undersells how bad the seawall situation really is.
I have lived here for thirty years and I have seen this exact plan announced at least three times. I will believe it when I see the crews.
Went last Friday on the strength of this review. The sardines were exactly as described. Dessert was also exactly as described, unfortunately.
Good piece, but I think the headline undersells how bad the seawall situation really is.
This is why local journalism matters. Subscribed again after letting it lapse.
Went last Friday on the strength of this review. The sardines were exactly as described. Dessert was also exactly as described, unfortunately.
Fair point, and thank you. We have added a line clarifying that.
Thank you for actually putting the numbers in a table. Most coverage just says "millions" and leaves it at that.
Made the apple cake twice now. Second time I used a mix of tart and sweet apples and it was even better.
Grocery prices are absurd. I drive to the store on the east side now because it is consistently cheaper.
Thanks for reading. We are planning a follow-up and would welcome tips at the address above.
I would love a follow-up on what happens to the workers at the old plant.
The heat pump rebate website crashed on me three times. Glad to know it was not just me.
I have lived here for thirty years and I have seen this exact plan announced at least three times. I will believe it when I see the crews.
Can we please stop calling everything a "smart" something? It is a streetlight with a sensor.
Fair point, and thank you. We have added a line clarifying that.
As a nurse at St. Aldric I can confirm the override part. The software is a tool, not a replacement for judgment.
The fee change makes sense for big vendors and is terrible for small ones. Simple as that.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Fair point, and thank you. We have added a line clarifying that.
I would love a follow-up on what happens to the workers at the old plant.
I would love a follow-up on what happens to the workers at the old plant.
Grocery prices are absurd. I drive to the store on the east side now because it is consistently cheaper.
I would love a follow-up on what happens to the workers at the old plant.
Fair point, and thank you. We have added a line clarifying that.
Went last Friday on the strength of this review. The sardines were exactly as described. Dessert was also exactly as described, unfortunately.
Thanks for reading. We are planning a follow-up and would welcome tips at the address above.
Went last Friday on the strength of this review. The sardines were exactly as described. Dessert was also exactly as described, unfortunately.
I would love a follow-up on what happens to the workers at the old plant.
Respectfully, the reporter left out that the same vendor ran the last pilot, which went way over budget.
Does anyone know if the public comment period is still open? The city website is no help at all.