How does neon work?

Neon, a rare colorless, odorless gas, is found not only in our atmosphere, but also in gases trapped in the earth.

Since neon is a first-rate conductor of electricity and since it has an amazing ability to give off light which can be seen at great distances, it is used most frequently in airplane beacons, in lamps, and in advertising signs.

Neon lamps are made by removing all the air from glass tubes and filling them with neon. An electrical current is sent from an electrode at one end of the tube, through the neon, to a second electrode. This electrical current causes the gas to glow a fiery red. Neon lamps do not have filaments as are found in incandescent lamps, in neon lamps it is the gas itself that glows.

Neon is produced when air is turned to a liquid under high pressure and at temperatures of about -200°C. That liquid leaves behind it a gas, neon. Even though neon is costly to produce, very little is needed to create that bright light. Only one quart of neon gas will light up 200 to 300 feet of glass tubing.

Pilots have reported seeing some neon beacons at a distance of 20 miles, when no other light was visible!