A system to generate artificial sunlight with spectral characteristics that resemble natural sunlight, the system comprising: a plurality of lighting element channels operable to generate a composite light mixture having broad spectrum white light of color temperatures from 1800K to 6500K, the lighting element channels each comprising a plurality of light emitting devices (LEDs), the plurality of lighting element channels having: a first lighting element channel operable to generate a spectrum of cool white light, a second lighting element channel operable to generate a spectrum of warm white light, and a third lighting element channel operable to generate a spectrum of amber light; a fixture comprising said plurality of lighting element channels; at least two light sensors that detect the composite light emitted from the plurality of lighting element channels and generate signals representative of the detected composite light; a central control unit; and a controller communicatively coupled to the at least two light sensors to receive the signals representative of the detected composite light and communicatively coupled to the plurality of lighting element channels to provide at least one drive signal that is based at least in part on a color match algorithm and that varies a brightness level for each of the plurality of lighting element channels to produce the composite light at a desired color level along at least a portion of a daylight locus, wherein at least one time-color profile is assigned to the fixture by the central control unit and the at least one drive signal is based at least in part on the at least one time-color profile and varies the brightness level for each of the plurality of lighting element channels to produce the composite light at the desired color, wherein the controller controls a total flux of blue light to be adjusted from a relative level of 1-100% of the maximum blue flux emitted from the fixture through individual control of each of the plurality of lighting element channels. a plurality of lighting element channels operable to generate a composite light mixture having broad spectrum white light of color temperatures from 1800K to 6500K, the lighting element channels each comprising a plurality of light emitting devices (LEDs), the plurality of lighting element channels having: a first lighting element channel operable to generate a spectrum of cool white light, a second lighting element channel operable to generate a spectrum of warm white light, and a third lighting element channel operable to generate a spectrum of amber light; a fixture comprising said plurality of lighting element channels; at least two light sensors that detect the composite light emitted from the plurality of lighting element channels and generate signals representative of the detected composite light; a central control unit; and a controller communicatively coupled to the at least two light sensors to receive the signals representative of the detected composite light and communicatively coupled to the plurality of lighting element channels to provide at least one drive signal that is based at least in part on a color match algorithm and that varies a brightness level for each of the plurality of lighting element channels to produce the composite light at a desired color level along at least a portion of a daylight locus, wherein at least one time-color profile is assigned to the fixture by the central control unit and the at least one drive signal is based at least in part on the at least one time-color profile and varies the brightness level for each of the plurality of lighting element channels to produce the composite light at the desired color, wherein the controller controls a total flux of blue light to be adjusted from a relative level of 1-100% of the maximum blue flux emitted from the fixture through individual control of each of the plurality of lighting element channels.