In New York city what are the orange lights on top of street lights?

The orange lights on top of street lights in New York City are called photocells or light-sensitive cells. They are used to control the on/off function of street lights based on the ambient light level. When the light level drops below a certain threshold, the photocell activates the street light, and when the light level increases above the threshold, the photocell deactivates the street light.

Photocells are an important part of the city's energy-saving efforts as they help to ensure that street lights are only turned on when needed, reducing energy consumption and costs.