Longwave (LW) UV lights, blacklight tubes vs. LEDs.
365nm UV light is often called "blacklight". Before the advent of LW LEDs, blacklight fluorescent tubes, (the kinds used in hippie days...
Nature's Rainbows Fluorescent Minerals
Fluorescent Mineral SuperSite - database, photo gallery, and blog
Latest posts
UV Flashlights - Outlandish Claims of Power
I’m really getting tired of all the BS out there. Chinese vendors make outlandish claims about their flashlights and non-technical...
What is the Best UV Flashlight for Minerals? (No bias, no clickbait - just the facts)
Longwave, shortwave, midwave flashlights are all the rage lately. 365nm, 255nm, 310nm - some amazing fluorescent minerals are being...
The Next Evolution in Fluorescent Mineral Flashlights - Shortwave and Midwave
(work in progress....) Just a few years ago my feeling was that we would not see SW flashlights "in my lifetime". I was so wrong. They...
Flashlights vs. Display Lights
In 2015 I publicized the Convoy S2 here on NR and it took our world by storm. Its powerful spot LED made rocks glow like we had never...
Willemite, Franklinite and Zincite- The Trio of Classic Ore Minerals from the Franklin Mine
Willemite, franklinite and zincite represent the three most important zinc-bearing minerals mined at the Franklin Mine, Franklin, New...
Willemite and Calcite, Puttapa Zinc Mine, Australia
Classic fluorescent specimen from the Puttapa Zinc Mine, Leigh Creek, North Flinders Ranges, South Australia. This rock consists of a...
Uncommon Fluorescent Calcite from the Elmwood Mine, Carthage, Tennessee
Every so often, a common location will produce a very uncommon specimen. The Elmwood mine, a zinc mine located in Carthage, Tennessee,...
Barite Rosettes from the Linwood Mine, Buffalo, Iowa
Located on the banks of the Mississippi River in Buffalo, Scott Co., Iowa, the Linwood Mine is one of the largest underground limestone...
NiteLite - A Dual-Wave UV 365nm and White Light Flashlight
A new flashlight has appeared on the market which I find quite interesting. It is the result of a joint venture with Engenious Designs...
Blades of Calcite, Inner Mongolia, China
Calcite comes in many forms and variations: poker chips, pagodas, crystals, massive, and many other forms. Here's an interesting bladed...
Scheelite, Rainbow Mine, California, USA
Bright white scheelite from the Rainbow Mine in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California. Shown in shortwave and natural light. The...
Popcorn Barite, Linwood Mine, Buffalo, Iowa
A plate of off-white barite crystals on a limestone matrix, from the Linwood Mine, Buffalo, Scott Co., Iowa. This particular material is...
Cataract Surgery - How does it Affect Our Eyes and Viewing Fluorescent Minerals
Serious question here. I just had cataract surgery and can now only see FS with sunglasses on. Does anyone know if this will improve as I...
BATTERIES - Selecting the Proper Battery for your 365nm UV Flashlight, Convoy S2, Convoy C8, FyrFly
In general, the Ah capacity of batteries sold from China are not worth the plastic they are printed on. The vendors/manufacturers lie so the
FyrFly Convoy C8 365nm UV Flashlight - The Next Generation Convoy - an Original Design by Group Cons
The most powerful 365nm flashlight in its class (or any class). Open source design
What Kind of Flashlight Do I Need? (365nm versus 390/395/400nm Unfiltered UV Flashlights)
Friends don't let friends use crappy unfiltered 390nm flashlights. This is an educational post, directed towards folks new to the hobby....
Power Claims of Convoy Type Flashlights
A pet peeve of mine is honesty in advertising. Over the past 3+ months I’ve seen companies advertising ever higher power Convoy type...
Convoy S2+ 365nm False Power Claims - It Ain't 5 Watts (4, 3.5, or even 3)
It's the wild west out there! About three years ago I wrote a blog post about the Convoy S2+ here on Nature's Rainbows. The FLM...
LED Longwave (LW - 365nm) Lighting for Home Displays
By now the fluorescent mineral community has heard of the new Convoy S2 365nm flashlight that has taken our hobby by storm. It is the...