Please Note:

Fluorescent minerals require specialized ultraviolet (UV) lighting—shortwave (SW), mediumwave (MW), or longwave (LW)—for proper viewing. These are true UV fluorescent minerals and should not be confused with items that simply glow under standard blacklights.

Types of UV Light:

Shortwave (SW): 254 nanometers

Mediumwave (MW): 310 nanometers

Longwave (LW): 365 nanometers

For best results, use filtered UV lights, which enhance fluorescence by minimizing interference from visible light.

Lighting Details for Photographs:

Shortwave images: Taken with a 70W 254nm filtered UV light

Mediumwave images: Captured with a Convoy L2 310nm filtered light

Longwave images: Illuminated using a 36W 365nm filtered light

Using filtered lights is essential. Filters reduce visible light "washout" and allow the true fluorescent colors to be accurately seen.

Important Notes on Lighting:

Standard blacklights are not filtered UV lights. They emit visible light that can overpower and obscure true fluorescence, resulting in poor or inaccurate visual effects.

A 254nm UVC bulb is also not a filtered UV light and should not be considered a cheap substitute for a proper 254nm filtered UV light. These bulbs emit harmful, unfiltered UVC radiation and will not produce the fluorescence seen in the photos.

If your specimen does not appear as vibrant as the images shown, the issue is almost certainly due to your lighting—not the mineral. I use professional-grade, fully filtered UV lights to capture these photographs. Without appropriate, filtered UV lighting, your results will differ significantly.