christmas light illusion

[bearfinch]

Tonight when i was outside I noticed that strands of all-indigo blue halogen Christmas lights kind of looked blurry and out of focus. At first I thought it was my eyes, but after seeing starnds of them in a few different places, especially where they were beside other colours that were crystal clear, I noticed it again. It actually botheed my eyes

Comments

[bearfinch]

It may be due to dispersion...a property of some crystaline materials by which they refrect some wavelenths of light to a greater or lesser degree than others. The effect is escpcially pronounced in diamonds, but perhaps glass has some dispersive effect as well.

[detailbear]

It may also be an effect of the fact that different wavelengths are refracted a different amount by your eye lens and cornea. If you have Red and Green pretty well in focus, the blue light won't be focused on your retina. It's the same effect that makes the world seem so much clearer when you look through "Blue Blocker" sunglasses.