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A Celebration of Light
What we call "visible light" is a tiny sliver of the electromagnetic spectrum — wavelengths between 380 and 700 nanometers that our eyes evolved to detect. Below 380nm lies ultraviolet, above 700nm lies infrared. Between them: all the colors we can see.
Isaac Newton named seven colors (adding indigo to round to a mystical number), but the spectrum is continuous — colors blend into each other without hard boundaries.
380-450 nm
The shortest wavelength we can see, bending most through prisms
♀ Spirituality, mystery, royalty
450-475 nm
Between blue and violet, once disputed as a separate color
♆ Intuition, perception, third eye
475-495 nm
The color of the daytime sky, scattered sunlight
♄ Calm, depth, wisdom
495-570 nm
Where human vision is most sensitive, the color of chlorophyll
♃ Growth, harmony, nature
570-590 nm
The color of the sun as we perceive it, optimism's hue
☉ Joy, intellect, energy
590-620 nm
Autumn leaves, sunset's warmth, between fire and gold
♂ Creativity, enthusiasm, warmth
620-700 nm
The longest wavelength we see, bending least through glass
☿ Passion, energy, life
Ultraviolet (10-380nm) — Bees can see it, flowers reflect it. Too much burns our skin. The sun emits plenty; our atmosphere blocks most.
Infrared (700nm-1mm) — We feel it as heat. Night vision cameras see it. Remote controls speak it. Everything above absolute zero emits it.
Radio waves (1mm-100km) — WiFi, FM radio, TV broadcasts. Light so stretched out we built antennas to catch it.
Gamma rays (<0.01nm) — From exploding stars and radioactive decay. So energetic each photon could break chemical bonds.
All of these are light. All travel at the same speed. Only our eyes determine what's "visible."