NEW MERCURY ARC LIGHT SOURCE

CD 1964055 E&MP27.013

Electric Lighting

1937

The new mercury arc light source, which Dr. John W. Marden, Westinghouse research scientist is viewing through a spectroscope at the left, is the Twentieth Century component of the lighting method which Sir Humphry Davy and his pupil Michael Faraday developed some 100 years ago.

In the center is seen a replica of the original Davy carbon arc light of 1813, while at the right is a replica of Faraday’s original mercury arc light of about 1835.

The new “peanut” light at the left brings mankind a step nearer a light source that duplicates sunlight in every way, even to ultra violet radiations.

Lighting scientists are now concentrating their efforts towards bringing it out of the laboratory and putting it to work as a practical source of artificial illumination. 

Original Caption by Science Service
^©Westinghouse