How to create "Aurora-like" lights in a bottle

[quantass]

My studies into electronics and chemistry have only begun. An experiment I'd like to perform, or at least obtain some confirmation that it's even possible, would be an "Aurora Borealis" effect in a container. How would i go about achieving this?

As far as i know there are various elements in the Earth's atmosphere (Nitrogen, Oxygen at various altitudes). Combined with the high speed electron bombardment from the sun, the Earth's magnetic field, and prevailing winds, the Aurora is generated in all its wavy splendor. Perhaps there are finer details than this, perhaps not. What do I require to effectively create aurora-like lights within a bottle?

Thanks.

 

[Mingon]

just some lysergic acid diethylamide added will do it

 

[capybara]

Originally posted by: quantass


As far as i know there are various elements in the Earth's atmosphere (Nitrogen, Oxygen at various altitudes). Combined with the high speed electron bombardment from the sun, the Earth's magnetic field, and prevailing winds......

have you tried high speed electron or photon or positron bombardment of
air in a bottle? next, subject the bottles contents to varying magnetic fields
while the bombardment continues.

 

[sgtroyer]

In school I did a lab to measure the mass to charge ratio of electrons. It involved an electron gun in a magnetic field, which caused the electron beam to travel in a circle. This sounds similar to what you're trying to achieve. If you google charge mass ratio electron, or something similar, you will find many descriptions of this experiment. I'll sum it up, though:

The beam is confined to a sealed container, filled with low pressure gas (argon, I think). The low pressure is to keep the beam from deteriorating too quickly from collisions with atoms, but the small amount of argon will fluoresce when an electron hits an atom, so you can see the beam.

The electron gun is pretty simple. Pass enough current through a wire (tungsten?) to get it white hot. Electrons will come streaming off it. To create a focused beam, place a plate with a hole in it nearby. If you create a high voltage between the plate and the wire, the electrons will be accelerated toward the plate. The ones that get through the hole will create your beam.

So the question is, what's the easiest way to adapt this to your idea. Argon may be a little hard to come by. Normal air may also work, not sure about this. I assume the effect is much better with low pressures, so if you can get your hands on a bell jar and vacuum pump, or something, that would help. The electron source shouldn't be too bad. Note that the lack of oxygen will also protect your hot wire. In normal air, a tungsten filament will just burn up.

Then, like capybara said, subject the container to a randomly varying magnetic field, and you're done. Shouldn't take much magnetic field to steer the beam around, but I'll leave it up to you as to how to create it.

Sounds like a fun experiment.

 

[Smilin]

Originally posted by: Mingon
just some lysergic acid diethylamide added will do it

Tried that. Doesn't work. Just makes the bottle melt into a puddle then roll around on the table.

 

[Somecallmetim]

Im sure there is quite of bit you can do using a microwave.
Im no scientist, as a matter of fact I partially pass as human, but some inert gas and a microwave seem about right to me.
This sort of experiment needs to involve microwaves somehow.

 

[dkozloski]

Have you ever seen a neon sign?

 

[Amorphus]

 

[Amorphus]

sry bout that last one. stupid low-res library comps.

neon lights won't work. the lighting effect is too distributed and even for what he wants.

try to create a St. Elmo's Fire effect, maybe?

 

[f95toli]

The experiment you are describing was first done byt Kristian Birkeland around 1900, it was this experiment that confirmed his theories about the origin of the "Norhern Light".
He used huge vacuum chambers and high-voltage generators (20 000V). A hot cathode emitted the electrons which were accelerated by the elecric field.
The anode consisted of a metal ball made from a thin brass plate covered by barium-platinum-cyanide, the magnetic field around the ball was generated by strong electromagnets.
This was the original "Aurora Borealis" experiment, I am sure there are other ways of doing it but this is "the real thing".

You can read more about this in a book called "The Norhern Lights" by Lucy Jago.

 

[pspada]

Would some form of Leyden jar do the job?

 

[dkozloski]

The University of Alaska launches sounding rockets on a regular basis that eject metal particles at extremely high altitudes. The particles spread out along the lines of force of the earth's magnetic field and are energized by streams of electrons emitted by the sun resulting in a spectacular "Aurora" display and a means of mapping the earth's magnetic field. The color of the display is determined by the metal used. The neon light is just an orderly arrangement of these experiments but of course on a very small scale.

 

[capybara]

Originally posted by: f95toli
The experiment you are describing was first done byt Kristian Birkeland around 1900, it was this experiment that confirmed his theories about the origin of the "Norhern Light".
He used huge vacuum chambers and high-voltage generators (20 000V). A hot cathode emitted the electrons which were accelerated by the elecric field.
The anode consisted of a metal ball made from a thin brass plate covered by barium-platinum-cyanide, the magnetic field around the ball was generated by strong electromagnets.
This was the original "Aurora Borealis" experiment, I am sure there are other ways of doing it but this is "the real thing".

You can read more about this in a book called "The Norhern Lights" by Lucy Jago.

a start on this would be to use a regular neon transformer which do produce the
20kv you need and is the same size as a fluorescent light "ballast", + cost about $125.