27.019 Electric Lighting, Science Service Historical Image Collection

1937 - Dr. John W. Marden, and his stream of electrically excited mercury vapor which is the source of light that produces a color spectrum almost identical to that of the Sun

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CD 1964059 E&MP27.019

Electric Lighting

1937

Duplicating sunlight, for years the elusive goal of lighting scientists, is brought within “arms reach” of achievement by a new mercury arc device.

Viewed through a dark glass, as Dr. John W. Marden, Westinghouse research scientist is seen doing above, one sees a banana like arc stream of electrically excited mercury vapor which is the source of light that produces a color spectrum almost identical to that of the Sun’s, which we see as the rainbow that nature often displays following a thunder shower.

When these mercury arcs can be taken out of the laboratory and put to practical use they will enable mankind to obtain three times the light for present-day consumption of electricity used to obtain artificial illumination.