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BLACKLIGHT -
THE FACTS
Often referred to as Longwave Ultra-Violet or 'UV A'. Blacklights are a
specialised
type of lighting unit that generates a safe form of UV light invisible to
the human eye.
The frequency of UV light emitted by Blacklight units (365 nm) is exactly the
right frequency to make UV Revealing products such as STARGLOW UVR Paints;
fluoresce brightly and also energise Glow-in-the-Dark products so they
perform at their best.
Blacklights are considered
safe for use in the home as well as theatres and night clubs etc.
The kind of Blacklight units* sold by Glowtec are low-power units and are
the safest of all Blacklight units available commercially.
Besides the wide range of Fun and Artistic applications, there are several other
serious uses that Blacklights are particularly suited to:
UV-LED Blacklights
UV-LED based Blacklight products are also
classed as safe, providing the LEDs are not shone directly into the eyes.
It is the intensity of light generated by this new generation of LEDs
rather than the UV output, that can be potentially harmful. The
key advantages of this new generation UV-LED based products, is
portability and low power consumption, thus making them a very popular
option.
What is
UV
Light
In plain and
simple terms there are three bands of UV light; UV - A, B and C. The difference
between the three is simply the frequency range of each.
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UV A |
320 - 400 nm |
Longwave UV
is widely used for Tanning and Blacklight effects. |
|
UV B |
280 - 320 nm |
The type of
Natural UV largely responsible for sunburn. |
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UV C |
200 - 280 nm |
Shortwave UV
is completely filtered out by the atmosphere. |
UV -
A
The safest
form of UV light and often referred
to as Longwave UV, this is kind of UV light generated by Blacklight units
(the dark purple fluorescent tubes) as well as UV LED Torches. It is a safe
form of invisible UV light and is used to energise and activate the Starglow
range of products (365 nm to be exact). Most quality sunglasses will
protect eyes against UV-A.
Most quality
sunglasses will protect eyes against UV-A.
UV -
B
This
particular kind of UV is the one that can cause sunburn if over exposed. It
can also be used in the medical treatment of certain skin
conditions.
Most quality
sunglasses will protect eyes against UV-B.
UV -
C
Totally
absorbed by the Earths atmosphere, but widely used as a Germicidal
steriliser in Hospitals. UV-C is source of UV you are unlikely ever to
come across.
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