Get this lamp here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Infinity Cube Lamp
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Infinity Cube Lamp: parallel partially mirrored panes create the illusion of depth through the physics of reflection. This nicely constructed lamp utilizes precise geometry and ceramic LEDs provide the illumination to create a wonderful illusion of depth.
A wide variety of similar lamps can be found on Etsy:
From Etsy: BUY NOW Fiber Optic Lamps
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Fiber Optic Spray Lamp: a vintage fiber optic lamp sold by RadioShack back in the 1980s. The fiber bundle is illuminated by a lamp in the base and the color shifting patterns are generated by a rotating color wheel placed between the light source and the fiber optic bundle. Physics of internal reflection and refractive index to channel light through a fiber.
An amazingly well engineered display case with UV LEDS including a massive heat sink and motion sensing modes.
Get one here:
From MinerShopMinerals: BUY NOW: GloBox Fluorescent Display
Also on Etsy: BUY NOW: GloBox Fluorescent Display
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GloBox Mineral Fluorescence Display: powerful 365nm UV LEDs illuminate your favorite fluorescent minerals behind a transparent UV blocking window. This display design from @minershopminerals also includes white light LEDs under which these rock specimens look unremarkable, and features an automatic mode that alternates between the UV and “daylight” for dramatic contrast. The colorful glow comes from complex quantum mechanical behavior where high energy UV photons are absorbed and then lower energy photons of vivid color are emitted- the physics of fluorescence.
Get 3 lasers (one of each color including green 532nm and UV 405nm) for under $20:
From Amazon: BUY NOW red+green+UV laser pointers
Blue 445-470nm lasers also here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW blue laser pointers
Calcite crystals avilable here (but many do not fluoresce so will have to try your luck):
From Etsy: BUY NOW Calcite Ctystals
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Laser Fluorescence in Calcite: this unique natural calcite specimen demonstrates strong fluorescence not only under UV but under longer wavelengths too. A high intensity 532nm green laser produces bright orange, a 445nm blue laser produces yellow light, and a near UV 405nm laser creates a pale whitish glow. The colorful glows comes from complex quantum mechanical behavior where photons are absorbed by trace amounts of Mn²⁺ (manganese in +2 ionic state) that take the place of calcium in the CaCO₃ lattice. The Mn²⁺ ions have special quantum levels that can absorb green photons and then transition to allow the energy to be released in the form of lower energy orange photons- the physics of fluorescence
Get the print files here;
From MakerWorld: Download Now: Starcaster Zoetrope
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StarCaster Zoetrope Spinner: Lit from within with a white LED this 3D printed spinner has pinhole tunnels precisely placed such that an animation of a swirling galaxy is created when spun into motion. The animation is designed to be seen with unaided eyes- no camera or phone is needed to see the swirling stars. Borrowed a caliper stand for the fidget to allow a nice framing for video capture of the animation. A another curious creation by maker Mike of Prime Tower Designs.
This and similar vintage devices by LumiSource sometimes available here:
From eBay: Search NOW: LumiSource Plasma Lamps
Plasma Elephant Lamp: one of my weirdest thrift shop physics finds- a plasma lamp of blue glass in the form of a circus elephant, which lights up pink from low pressure noble gas glow discharge. A small high frequency coil in the base creates the high voltage potential with the glass casing which is coated with a thin transparent film of metal. Current flow through the thin gas produces the glowing zigzagged path like that of lightning but more rounded.
Get a sample here:
From Etsy: BUY NOW: Hackmanite Samples
365 nm UV flashlights available here:
From Amazon: BUY NOW: Convoy UB Flashlight
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Tenebrescence: a property of the mineral hackmanite which temporarily changes color when exposed to UV light- from pink/white to violet. Photochromism from a naturally occurring mineral! Similar physics to phosphorescence (glow in the dark) the purple color fades back to normal over about half an hour, and the mineral can be put into this excited state over and over again by the UV rays of the sun, or this high intensity UV flashlight. Also- hackmanite has a bright orange fluorescent glow under UV.
Get this set (and powerful tesla coil base) here:
From engineDIY: BUY NOW: Glowing Noble Gas Cubes and Base
The base can be used on any gas tubes or other plasma art- well made and powerful.
Note: this site contains affiliate links for which I may be compensated
Glowing Noble Gas Collection: five cubical glass containers contain high purity samples of the noble gasses- He, Ne, Ar, Kr, and Xe. A special platform contains a coil and circuit that creates a high frequency/high voltage electric field designed to transmit energy through the glass to excite the gases into glow discharge revealing the unique color of each gas, which is actually due to a mix of photon frequencies emitted from electron energy transitions specific to each element- the basis of spectroscopy.