What is full spectrum light?
Full spectrum light is the name we give to the light produced by the sun after it passes through the earth’s atmosphere. In the tropics (where most companion birds’ ancestors originated) the sun’s light reaches the earth in its most undiluted form. In captivity we use various fluorescent lights to try to reproduce sunlight as closely as possible. The parts of sunlight we are most interested in reproducing are in the ultraviolet spectrum – in particular UV A and UV B light. It is a small segment of the UVB (sometimes referred to as “middle ultraviolet” light) that causes Vitamin D synthesis in the skin. Most people studying this agree that the UVB light needs to be somewhere between 290 and 310 nanometers in wavelength for this to occur and a Color Temperature of >5000 Kelvin. Less generally known are the benefits of another part of full spectrum lighting – those caused by UVA (also called “near ultraviolet”) light.
Full spectrum light is the name we give to the light produced by the sun after it passes through the earth’s atmosphere. In the tropics (where most pet birds originate) the sun’s light reaches the earth in its most undiluted form. In captivity we use various fluorescent lights to try to reproduce sunlight as closely as possible. The parts of sunlight we are most interested in reproducing are in the ultraviolet spectrum – in particular UV A and UV B light. The Color Rendering Index (CRI) is a scale developed to rate how closely an artificial light compares to natural sunlight at high noon. High noon sunlight is assigned a value of 100. No artificial light source attains a CRI of 100. Sunlight that passes through your home windows has more than 90% of the beneficial UV spectrum filtered out by that glass. Studies have even shown that 30% or more can be filtered out by the aluminum screening used in many homes. High-grade acrylic filters out 5% or less of the UV light. .
Like sunlight, full spectrum light contains the full colour spectrum of the rainbow – both those components which are visible to us and those which are invisible. At the same time it is important that it contains the visible colours in relatively equal proportions and that the spectral progression is continual (i.e. that there are no gaps in the spectrum). The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the USA has laid down the following criteria for full spectrum light, cf. Dr. Jacob Liberman, “Light – Medicine of the Future”, page 209: Colour temperature 5,500 – 6,500 degrees Kelvin. Colour rendering (Ra/CRI) greater than 90.
Like sunlight, full spectrum light contains the full colour spectrum of the rainbow both those components which are visible to us and those which are invisible. At the same time it is important that it contains the visible colours in relatively equal proportions and that the spectral progression is continual (i.e. that there are no gaps in the spectrum). >see Spectral analysis Question: What lamp fittings are suitable for LifeLite full spectrum daylight energy saving light bulbs? Answer: LifeLite full spectrum daylight energy saving light bulbs are available for E27 (standard European screw fitting), E26 (North American screw fitting), E14 (small screw fitting for candle bulbs) and B22 (bayonet fitting, mainly found in Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and France). We also make fluorescent tubes. Question: At what room temperatures can I use LifeLite light bulbs? Answer: LifeLite light bulbs can be used at room temperatures from -10 to +45 degrees Celsius. Question: What c
